Treatment and Prevention
The treatment of panic disorder usually involves a combination of medications
and behavioral or cognitive therapy. The goals of treatment are to reduce
the number and frequency of panic attacks and improve your quality of life.
The most commonly used medications for treating panic disorder include:
- selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as paroxetine*
- tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) such as imipramine
- monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) such as phenelzine
- anti-anxiety medications such as benzodiazepines
Although benzodiazepines work quickly when symptoms are present, the antidepressant
medications (SSRIs, TCAs, MAOIs) are considered first-line treatments.
Your doctor may also recommend behavioral therapy such as exposure or relaxation
therapy to help reduce fear and anxiety. In exposure therapy, you are slowly
exposed to the same situation that triggers panic attacks until fear and anxiety
are reduced to a tolerable level or are eliminated. In relaxation therapy, you
are provided with techniques to help you relax in situations that have previously
caused panic attacks.
Cognitive therapy (psychotherapy) may also be recommended. Cognitive
therapy attempts to change your thought patterns by helping you analyze your
reactions to panic attack triggers.
*All medications have both common (generic) and brand names. The brand name
is what a specific manufacturer calls the product (e.g., Tylenol®).
The common name is the medical name for the medication (e.g., acetaminophen).
A medication may have many brand names, but only one common name. This article
lists medications by their common names. For more information on brand names,
speak with your doctor or pharmacist.