The heart pounds and palpitates, the chest feels tight and painful, and the whole body tenses with unreasoning fear. Such attacks can be triggered by anxiety-provoking situations, but they may also come out of nowhere, perhaps even awakening you from sleep. When a person tends to suffer more from panic attacks than generalized anxiety, physicians call the illness panic disorder. The medical treatment of anxiety involves mainly antianxiety drugs. Antidepressant drugs may also be helpful.
Panic attacks are generally more difficult to treat than other aspects of anxiety.
Medications are best used in the short term, and it is advisable to seek more permanent help through psychotherapy. The herb kava is widely used in Europe as a medical treatment for anxiety. Widely Used in Europe for Anxiety In Europe, the herb kava is widely prescribed for anxiety. Kava is a member of the pepper family that has long been cultivated by Pacific Islanders for use as a social and ceremonial drink. The first description of kava came to the West from Captain James Cook on his celebrated voyages through the South Seas.