Did you know that about two percent of Americans will suffer from panic attacks at some point in their lives.  While that may not sound like that many people that is over three million sufferers!  Panic disorder is a type of anxiety that occur suddenly without any one thing provoking them.  For those who suffer from them they can completely stop thier lives as the sudden feeling of terror can be overwhelming.  While the mental aspects are bad the physical symptons such as a rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing and dizziness can only add to the sense of terror one feels. 

Panic disorder will usually begin in young adulthood.  It can begin because of a major life trauma such as the death of a loved one but that is not always the case.  The studies that have been done do show that panic disorder can run in families.  They have also shown that women are more likely to be affected than men.

The treatments that a trained doctor will prescribe are a combination of psychotherapy and medications.  For those who try to live a holistic lifestyle this can be frustrating.  There are more holistic treatments for panic attacks that are just as effective as the medications. 

I will be providing more info on the holistic treatments for panic attacks in my next post!