Friday, January 1, 2010

What If Panic Attacks Are Left Untreated?

By Greg Anderson

Panic attacks do not get better, they get worse. Sometimes it takes a while, and sometimes the panic attacks begin accelerating right away, but they just do not resolve themselves without any help. Usually panic attacks start in the adolescent years, but occasionally later onset is seen.

Typically, an average adolescent who starts having panic attacks during his or her teenage years and does not seek treatment will continue to suffer from panic attacks. These panic attacks can last for the entire duration of a person's lifespan.

If panic attacks do not get treated they tend to cause additional problems. Often, these other problems are closely related to the dread of having other panic attacks. Some patients are so terrified of having attacks that they do almost anything to avoid them, but this usually does not work out because of the fact that panic attacks really can not be accurately predicted. Hiding from panic attacks will not work, and it can sometimes just make them much worse.

Some Of The Complications Caused By Panic Attacks

There are quite a few complications that panic attacks can cause, and while they vary by person, these are fairly typical results of untreated panic attacks. Some of these complications can include: Phobias such as agoraphobia, or being scared to go outside, being scared of social encounters, feeling depression, poor school grades, bad work performance, financial problems, and substance abuse.

Additionally, those who suffer from panic disorder (of which panic attacks are a symptom) have a higher risk of the development of heart disease.

It is very important that you get your panic attacks treated. They will not abate until you face the problem and seek treatment. If you get help before the panic attacks escalate, you will have a much easier road to recovery. A program that uses proven psychological methods such as Panic Away is often the most reliable way to handle panic attacks and to make certain that you will not have to deal with constant future attacks.

Panic attacks are a crippling problem and everyone deserves to live a life free of this problem. If you suffer from panic attacks, getting treatment will be the best thing you can possibly do for yourself.

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