Xanax

Generic name of Xanax — Alprazolam

Alprazolam is a short-acting drug in the benzodiazepine class used to treat anxiety disorders and as an adjunctive treatment for depression. It is also used as a medication to aid the beginning of treatment with SSRI type drugs, since these can cause anxiety in the initial stages of use.

Alprazolam was first synthesized by Upjohn (now a part of Pfizer) and is marketed under various trade names.

What To Tell Your Doctor

The best way for you to prepare for treatment is to help your doctor understand your complete medical history and the specific issues you’re having with this disorder.

Some Medications Don’t “Mix Well”
To guard against counterproductive or dangerous drug interactions, tell your doctor what medications you’re currently taking (or have recently taken), including any over-the-counter or illegal drugs. Some medications don’t “mix well” with other drugs and can lead to harmful interactions. In fact, some drugs that are prescribed for a variety of anxiety disorders can be dangerous when mixed with alcohol, certain foods, or other medications.

A Complete History Is Important
You play an important part in your treatment by being honest and thorough with the information you give your doctor. Your complete “history” not only includes medical problems but other lifestyle issues as well. These may include eating habits, family history, and drug/alcohol history. If you’ve had a previous anxiety disorder problem, make it known. You should always tell your doctor what problems you’ve had previously—be it physical or mental. If there’s something you think your doctor should know, say it. For example, if you (or a blood relative) have had a bad reaction to a certain type of medication in the past, make sure your doctor knows what it is.

Preparing For Your Doctor’s Visit
To help you prepare for your doctor’s visit, we’ve created a document that will help you to record some health and lifestyle information your physician may need for diagnosing your illness.

Xanax web-site

Put yourself in the following situation: You’re speeding along a highway when suddenly a deer crosses in front of you. You pull the steering wheel hard trying to avoid the animal. The car swerves and spins off into the emergency lane and you skid to a stop. Somehow you’ve manage to avoid a potentially fatal accident—for both you and the deer.

You’re shaking, you’re heart is racing, and you’ve broken out into a quick and cold sweat. But you’re alive! This would be the normal reaction for most people in a similar situation.

Now imagine this: You’re at a restaurant having a quiet dinner when suddenly, for no apparent reason, you experience the same uneasy feelings. You begin shaking, your heart starts racing, and you break out into a cold sweat. You even feel like you might be having a heart attack. You’re rushed to the hospital and the doctors can find nothing immediately wrong with you.

What has happened?
Quite possibly you may have experienced a “panic attack”—and a few of the typical symptoms usually associated with Panic Disorder.

Panic Disorder is characterized by unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms that may include chest pain*, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, or abdominal distress.

A panic attack seems to come out of nowhere—at times and in places where there is nothing to fear. When experiencing the effects of the attack, you may think you’re having a heart attack, dying, or even going crazy. But in reality, there is nothing wrong with your heart—or your sanity. You’re simply one of the millions who suffer from this frightening and debilitating disorder.

What Is Agoraphobia?
Some Panic Disorder suffers also have “agoraphobia.”

Agoraphobia is an anxiety—or a fear—of being in places or situations from which escape might be difficult (or embarrassing) or in which help may not be available in the event of having a Panic Attack or panic-like symptoms (for example, fear of having a sudden attack of dizziness or a sudden attack of diarrhea). Some people with agoraphobia may fear being outside the home alone; being in a crowd or standing in a line; being on a bridge; or traveling in a bus, train, or car.¹

Situations like these may be avoided or else they’re dreaded—and then endured. Typically this means staying away from places or circumstances where previous experiences have happened. Obviously, having such a “fear of the fear” can make normal everyday life impossible.

*Until you have been diagnosed by your physician as having Panic Disorder, you should always seek medical attention for chest pain or discomfort.

References:

1. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association;2000:433.

At one time, Panic Disorder was believed to have stemmed from “psychological problems.” Researchers now believe however that Panic Disorder is a real and treatable medical illness caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors. It is a disorder that can also sometimes be accompanied by depression.

Contrary to an older, common belief, Panic Disorder is not due to a “character flaw” or “character weakness.” Panic Disorder is a real medical illness that is treatable.

Biologically, it appears that emotional memories stored in specific parts of the brain may play a role in disorders involving very distinct fears, like phobias, while other parts may be involved in other forms of anxiety.

Some researchers suggest that Panic Disorder may be caused by an imbalance of specific chemicals in the brain. Three of these chemicals are called norepinephrine, GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), and serotonin. It is believed that changes in the levels of these chemicals play a role in anxiety disorder.

Panic Disorder appears to run in families and is more common in women than in men. Genetic factors or changes in body chemistry, combined with stress, may also play an important role. Certain illnesses, drugs, and certain social situations—or even substances like caffeine—may also contribute to triggering attacks.

The Most Common Symptoms

Few sufferers experience all of the dozen or more physical or emotional sensations that accompany a panic attack. Although panic attacks vary with the individual, doctors define an “attack” when it has at least four of the following common symptoms:

• heart palpitations
• sweating
• trembling
• shortness of breath
• choking
• chest pain*
• nausea
• faintness/dizziness
• feelings of “unreality”
• feeling like you’re “going crazy” or “losing control”
• fear of dying
• chills or hot flushes
• numbness or tingling sensations

It’s Not “Just Nerves”
Panic Disorder is regarded as one of the great impostors of medicine because its symptoms are sometimes like those associated with heart attacks, some respiratory illnesses, and even thyroid diseases.

Many sufferers have been rushed to a hospital only to be told that there is “nothing wrong with them.” This sometimes happens because the attending physician may be unfamiliar with Panic Disorder and may not be properly diagnosing their condition. Unfortunately, for the individuals who may feel (or have been told) that “it’s just nerves,” it sometimes takes years for sufferers to be properly diagnosed.

*Until you have been diagnosed by your physician as having Panic Disorder, you should always seek medical attention for chest pain or discomfort.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (in 1999), approximately 2.4 million Americans ages 18 to 54, suffer from Panic Disorder in a given year.¹ That’s about 1.7% of the adult US population. About one third of those develop “agoraphobia”—fear of being in public places. And just like Generalized Anxiety Disorder, women are twice as likely as men to develop Panic Disorder.

Panic Disorder typically strikes in young adulthood, beginning in the late teen years or early to mid twenties. About half of all people who have Panic Disorder develop it before the age of 24. Although in most cases a panic attack is spontaneous and unexpected, sometimes, but not always, a stressful event, such as a divorce or death of a parent, can also trigger an attack.

References:

1. Facts About Panic Disorder. Bethesda, MD:National Insitute of Mental health 1999;OM-99-4155 (Revised).

There is good news for people suffering from Panic Disorder. Appropriate treatment by an experienced healthcare professional can reduce or even prevent panic attacks in most people with Panic Disorder.The two most widely used treatments for Panic Disorder involve medication and psychotherapy. Most patients show significant progress after just a few weeks of therapy. Recovery may occur in a matter of months, but can take longer depending on individual circumstances. While relapses may occur, they can often be as effectively treated as the first episodes.

If you suspect that you may have Panic Disorder, see your doctor first to get a proper diagnosis. Once a proper course of treatment has been determined, there are additional resources available to you that may help you through this illness. Joining a support group in which you’ll hear other individuals’ stories about their personal experiences can be a tremendous source of comfort for some people affected by this disorder.

What Not To Do
Never “self-medicate.” Don’t take medications that have been prescribed for other patients. Only specially trained healthcare professionals have the proper knowledge and training to know what medications and therapies are right for you.

Some individuals, who haven’t been properly diagnosed or who refuse to acknowledge that they have a problem, try to avoid the issues surrounding this disorder through alcohol consumption or by taking illegal drugs. According to The National Institute of Mental Health, 36 percent of people with Panic Disorder also have substance abuse problems.

Panic Disorder is a truly frightening illness. But you don’t have to plan your life around the fear that another attack may hit you at any moment. Effective treatment is available. Talk to your doctor or a specialist near you.

Panic Disorder Self-Quiz
If you suspect that you may be suffering from a Panic Disorder and haven’t yet seen a physician, click the link below. On the page that appears, you will be asked a series of simple “yes” and “no” questions. Answer each question honestly and bring it to your doctor. The answers you give will help your physician diagnose your illness.

Take this quick Self-Quiz!
Keep Track of Your Symptoms/Triggers

As is the case with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), there is no single magic bullet for overcoming Panic Disorder. Frequently, specialists use a combination of treatment approaches.

Therapy for Panic Disorder can sometimes take a long time, but not necessarily by using medication. The most successful courses of treatment revolve around behavior therapy, cognitive therapy, and medication. Behavior therapy usually includes breathing retraining, relaxation techniques, and exposure therapy. Also important for many sufferers are support groups. Just knowing that “you’re not alone” can, in itself, be very therapeutic.

The exact course of therapy your physician chooses will depend on the individual’s needs and will also take into account any surrounding issues such as depression or any alcohol/drug problems.

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