The three Biggest Myths About Panic Attacks – And How They’re Preventing You From Finding A Cure

It’s hard to describe a panic attack to someone who hasn’t been through one, isn’t it? I mean, you can describe the physical symptoms – the pounding heart, the sweating, the shaking and inability to catch your breath. But you can’t really explain the terror, the utter feeling of helplessness and the crippling effect they have on your life. Unless someone’s been through it, they just can’t understand.

As hard as it is to describe, it’s even harder to sort through the myths that surround panic attacks. If you even try to broach this topic with people, you are suddenly bombarded with opinions and ‘facts’, most of which are simply not true. Having been through the process, and come out on the other side, allow me to share with you what I’ve learned on my journey.

Myth #1: You’re just not trying hard enough to eliminate them.

This is a classic. Mention that you have panic attacks and suddenly it’s your fault. You must not be really trying to get rid of them, you’re using them as an excuse, or they’re not really as big a problem as you’re making them out to be. Sometimes it can be really hard to find support for this disorder from friends and families.

While the majority of comments are not meant to be harmful, they’re completely incorrect and can erode your self-esteem. The fact is that those who suffer from panic attacks would do just about anything to get rid of them, and to imply any less is simply insulting.

Unfortunately, many sufferers will get depressed and start to feel really bad about their perceived lack of control and inability to prevent future attacks. They buy into this myth and start to believe that they are the cause for the attacks, and that if they just put forth enough effort, they should be able to stop them from occurring. It’s simply not true.

Myth #2 Panic attacks come from xxxxxx (put in any number of reasons here – chronic illness, heredity, medications). The fact is that no one knows for sure why people experience panic attacks. There are known triggers, like stress, certain medications, significant personal loss, and major life transitions. But there is no scientific data that shows an underlying reason for the disorder.

There is also a correlation between having a family member with panic attacks and experiencing them yourself. However, no one can say for sure whether genetics plays a part, as there are many conflicting reports out there. Promising new studies have started to shed more light on ways to manage and even cure them, but the origin of panic attacks remains hidden.

Myth #3 Medicine is the only way to cure panic attacks.

This is probably the most common myth surrounding panic attacks. The truth is, there is a mountain of data that shows that cognitive behavioral therapy and managing your thoughts, is just as effective, if not more so in treating this disorder.

In recent years, scientists have found a strong correlation between people who communicate passively and have negative self-talk, and those who are suffering from panic attacks. Programs have been developed which focus on training the mind to receive and process information differently, and to communicate with yourself and others in a more assertive and positive manner. This new treatment has been showing proven results, without all the damaging side effects that medicines produce.

I wish I’d found out the truth about panic attacks a long time ago. Because, the most important thing I learned, is that it’s only when you remove away all the myths and see panic attacks for what they are, that you can find a way to eliminate them for good.

In life we tend to try to overcomplicate things and feel we need to work hard to achieve success. The reality is, we can be much more effective and see amazing results when we simply learn to relax.

Gain total control of your life. Discover how you can easily eliminate chronic anxiety, panic attacks, negative thoughts and beliefs from your life.