The medical community has come a long way in the development of panic attack medication.
Gone are the days of cruel and unusual treatments such as electroshock therapy and lobotomies to treat mental illness.
It used to be that some people, who were deemed mentally ill, were given a life sentence in a mental institution, never to emerge and interact with "normal" people in every day society.
Panic disorder is a form of mental illness, and can be best described as an elevated state of anxiety in which the sufferer feels intense symptoms such as extreme terror (like they may die), rapid heartbeat, an inability to breath properly (hyperventilating), and dizziness.
Symptoms may vary between people who suffer from panic attack disorder.
An attack can be very short, or it may last several minutes.
The attacks can occur over and over again for hours, it just depends on the person's level of anxiety.
In looking at treatment options, it may be prudent to explore a good panic attack medication.
So what types of medication are available today? There are a variety of medications on the market.
They are grouped into specific categories and affect people differently.
It is important to consult with a doctor and see which medication would work best in your specific situation.
Many of these medications were originally developed to treat depression and it has been proven that depression is one of the leading causes of panic attack disorder.
In no particular order, the following are types of medications and examples of medications from each group: Benzodiazepines - this group of medications includes Xanax, Ativan, Valium, Rivotril - this group can be highly addictive, so they are generally not used for long term treatment options.
Beta Blockers - included in this group are Inderal, Corgard and Tenormim.
These are used to reduce the physical symptoms of attacks such as sweating, heart palpitations and shaking.
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors - included in this group are Nardil and Parnate.
These can be effective medications, although the unpleasant part is that there are strict dietary restrictions, certain foods that cannot be eaten while taking this medication.
Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs) - this group of medications includes Elavil, Tofranil and Anafranil.
It may take many weeks or months to actually see any results from these medications and they have a wide array of unpleasant side effects such as drowsiness, headaches and sexual dysfunction.
Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SRIs) these are very common medications, such as Paxil, Luvox, Zoloft, Prozac and Celexa.
As with TCAs, these medications can take many weeks or months to be effective.
In the meantime, a patient can experience dry mouth, drowsiness, constipation, gastrointestinal issues, headaches, and a lack of interest in sex.
Panic attack medication is not a long term solution for the treatment of anxiety issues, because of their numerous side effects.
Some people may need to try several different types of medications before they find one that works best for their symptoms.
Sometimes, these medications can impair a patient's quality of life almost as much as the disorder they are used to treat.
It is important to remember that if you have been prescribed such a medication that you will need to explore other options and treatments in combination with medications.
Examples include self-help techniques, counseling, psychotherapy, breathing techniques, or dietary changes.