Can a panic disorder be treated?

Yes. There are two types of treatments. One is called cognitive-behavioural therapy. This has five fundamental stages:

Learning - in which the disorder is taught to the patient, and the patient learns to identify the symptoms.

Monitoring - patients keep a diary to monitor panic attacks and record anxiety-inducing situations.

Breathing - patients are taught breathing relaxation techniques to combat the physical reactions of a panic attack.

Rethinking - the patient is helped to change her interpretation of her physical symptoms (to something that won't hurt her).

Exposing - the patient encounters situations in therapy that invoke the panic attacks at levels of gradually increasing intensity.

The other type of treatment involves drugs. Antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and other medications are used.

Dr YLM graduated as a medical doctor, and has been writing for many years on various subjects such as medicine, health advice, computers and entertainment. The information contained in this column is for general educational purposes only. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information.

-The Star/Asia News Network