My doctor has recommended Xanax, Paxil and other medical treatments. I'm worried about taking drugs and becoming addicted to them.
Panic attacks seem to run in families.
And they often involve catastrophic misinterpretation of bodily sensations, like mistaking a rapid heartbeat for a heart attack. Unfortunately, we can't reduce it to a single, simple cause. Since attacks are traumatic and can strike without warning, they often interfere with a person's ability to function in everyday life. Cognitive therapy teaches them to think more rationally and not exaggerate the dangers that face them or dwell on their vulnerabilities. Behavioral therapy teaches them to face a fearful situation by breaking it into manageable components.