Probably like anyone suffering from anxiety panic attacks or a panic disorder, you are feeling desperate for a panic attack medication that will easily, simply and completely eliminate the horrible feelings, fears and ever increasing problems that are part of this disorder. The idea of finding a simple, no work involved, solution is terrifically attractive. We come to believe that modern medicine should have a magic pill for almost anything.
Unfortunately, the truth is quite a bit different. Anxiety panic disorders are still beyond the ability of any modern pharmaceutical to eliminate completely. As is the case with many problems that are classed as psychiatric or psychological illnesses, even the causes remain obscure.
For people who respond well to natural herbal supplements designed to reduce anxiety and stress and calm the nerves, these non-medical products can be a great help. Unlike the usual panic attack drug, they tend to have few if any side effects and are not habit-forming or addictive.
Generally the most common class of prescription panic attack medication is what are called SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors). These are actually anti-depressant drugs and have turned out to have some quite unpleasant long-term side effects such as sleep disturbances, sexual dysfunction and weight gain. These are not the only side effects, just the common ones that people find particularly disturbing.
The other panic attack drugs used are the benzodiazepines. These, of course, are tranquilizers such as Xanax (aprolazam) among others. You might have expected these anti-anxiety medications to be the first choice, but for many the anti-depressants work better despite the side effects. Aside from the fact that tranks can leave you too spaced out to function well, they also tend to be habit-forming or, not mincing words, downright addictive.
As ought to be obvious neither of these classes of panic attack medication are really all that suitable for long term use and they both carry risks of their own which you may not want. In any case they do not, and cannot offer you a cure by themselves. Like many modern medications they only deal with symptoms and may not even do that all that well.
The result is that you would still need to get some sort of psychological treatment. The best techniques use cognitive and behavioral training to reshape how you think about and how you react to anxiety and the beginning of a panic attack. They may include what are called desensitization training if you have already started to develop some phobic type fears. Relaxation and some basic meditative techniques might also be used.
The docs and the shrinks may not be real happy to let you know, but you don actually have to pay out over and over to learn these techniques and apply them. You need to take action for yourself. Take responsibility and learn and apply behavioral and cognitive methods to overcome your own anxiety panic attacks. While the idea of a nice warm friendly shrink to take care of you is sort of appealing, remember that you are the one with the pain and you are the one who ultimately has to learn to deal with your panic disorder or keep suffering.