Medication for Panic Attacks Is Not A Miracle Cure

Treating panic attacks is a two fold process.The best results are obtained by a combination of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and using the right medication for panic attacks. This is where a lot of people go wrong and why medication for panic attacks often does not produce the results they are supposed to. While medication for panic attacks can be very effective, they also have their downside in terms of side effects and patients need to be aware of these before embarking on a course of treatment. While common anti-depressants and sedatives may help fight the problem in the short term, these are not the right form of medication for panic attacks and the system will develop a resistance to them, often leading to increased consumption and even serious overdose issues. That is why treating panic attacks with medication takes time.


Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most common of medications for panic attacks and include Prozac, Paxil and others. When under stress, the body produces a variety of chemicals and hormones to be able to deal with the conditions. Each patient and each case is different and so the medications for panic attacks will very from person to person. SSRIs promote the production of these chemicals and help in reducing the intensity of the attacks and the ability to control them. Side effects can include irritability, sexual dysfunction, slurred speech and drowsiness. Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs) like Norpramin are among the strongest medications for panic attacks and are used to treat the most severe cases. Once this stage is reached, the amount of medications for panic attacks can be gradually reduced until a stage is reached where the patient is able to fight off the attacks without the support of SSRIs.


In many cases benzodiazepines like Valium and Xanax may be prescribed as additional medication for panic attacks to augment the effect of the SSRIs. These should only be taken in emergency conditions, as in situations where the panic attacks is unusually bad and is getting out of control. All medications for panic attacks have some side effects and knowing what to expect before you begin taking them will enable you to deal with these problems more effectively – not knowing about them could lead to increased levels of anxiety and panic when they do occur. You need to be able to deal with the side effects of these medications for panic attacks because the duration of the treatment is long and some patient need to stay on these medications for years.