Treatment and Management : (Psychotherapy, Lifestyle Change, Psychopharmacology)
Medications that may be used include: *
Antidepressants called SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are the most commonly used medications for panic disorder. They include fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), paroxetine (Paxil), fluvoxamine (Luvox), citalopram (Celexa), and escitalopram (Lexapro).
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Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and other antidepressants.
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If SSRIs or SNRIs do not help, benzodiazepines may be used. They include alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), and lorazepam (Ativan). However, people can become dependant on or addicted to drugs in this class of medications. Ideally, these drugs should be used only on a temporary basis.
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Other antidepressants and some anti-seizure drugs may be used for severe cases.
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Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), such as phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypramine (Parnate), and isocarboxazid (Marplan), are only used when the other drugs do not work. Although they can be very helpful for treating panic disorders, MAOIs have serious side effects and can interact with other drugs and foods.
Cognitive-behavioral therapies should be used together with drug therapy. Ten to 20 visits with a mental health professional should take place over a number of weeks. Common parts of this therapy include: *
Gaining understanding of and control over distorted views of life stressors, such as other people's behavior or life events.
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Learning to recognize and replace panic-causing thoughts to decrease the sense of helplessness.
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Learning stress management and relaxation techniques to help when symptoms occur.
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Practicing systematic desensitization and exposure therapy, in which you are asked to relax, then imagine the things that cause the anxiety, working from the least fearful to the most fearful. Gradual exposure to the real-life situation also has been used with success to help people overcome their fears.
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