Panic Attacks and Seratonin Question: What is the relationship between seratonin and panic attacks?
Panic attacks are extemely common and unfortunately tend to be very debilitating. They tend to be precipitated by situational clues-closed spaces, heights, etc and also tend to run in families. The individual often feels like they are going to die. Rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, sweating, choking, chest pain, etc. are the common signs. Some individuals will awake at night with the above symptoms thought to be triggered by different sleep stages. About 1% of all people will experience these-women about twice as commonly as men. Treatment involves making the right diagnosis and ensuring that cardiac conditions, thyroid conditions or other medical causes are not the cause. Tri-cyclic anti-depressants have been the drug of choice until recently. Since the advent of seratonin uptake inhibitor drugs these are usually the drug first tried due to low side effects and effectiveness. Other drugs include fairly potent sedatives like clonazepam and alprazolam and a class of anti-depressants
