Should You Go For Panic Pills? – Three Reasons For and Against Using Panic Medication

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September 9, 2010

Let me explain to you some important issues about dealing with panic attacks. I have written articles on dealing with panic attacks and how the physical symptoms of panic attacks, such as chest pains, breathlessness, or dizziness, can cause people really worry for quite some time. Therefore, it is no surprise that perhaps the first thing you might look for is medical help. This is certainly the case if you already have some physical ailment, such as heart or lung problems. But seeing a doctor in order to get ‘panic pills’ or ‘panic tablets’ might not always be your best strategy. Below I will outline some reasons for and against taking panic medication.

So how to stop panic attacks then? What is essential in learning about how to stop panic attacks is the notion that the core problem is not physical at all but is in your mind. This certainly doesn’t mean that “you must be crazy”. But the fact that panic attacks symptoms are not dangerous has been well researched. Yes they are nasty, upsetting, a pain in the neck, but still not dangerous. Thus you need to learn to really start paying attention to what your personal beliefs are about your panic symptoms. Having said that, the panic can be so bad that you might feel you have no choice, you simply need to go see a doctor and get medication. So when are panic tablets a good idea?

Let me first tell you when I think they have a role to play:

1. If your current life is regular, if not totally disrupted because of panic symptoms, to the extent that you don’t function normally any longer. For instance, your social and/or close relationships are suffering indireclty (fewer meetings, stress in the family etc.), or you are just not functioning at work, or your life is getting very tough indeed because of you avoiding certain places or situations.

2. After some considerable time you still haven’t managed to overcome panic attacks through any other means (e.g. relaxation techniques, lifestyle alterations, controlled breathing, or counselling)

3. If your panic attacks are in fact linked to another condition you might have, and which needs medication.

For reasons why you should not take panic tablets you could of course simply look at the opposite of the reasons given above. But here are three additional reasons why panic tablets might not be the best option.

1. If your symptoms do not disrupt your life too much (see point 1. above) and you feel this is unlikely to happen.

2. If what you want is immediate help every time, yet, you are also aware that panic attacks can only truly be overcome through a psychological approach.

3. If you can confirm to yourself that in fairness, you suffer from a high level of dependency on, or addiction to, tablets or medication.

Of course, if you do take ‘panic pills’, you need to make sure that they do not interfere with other medications you are taking. You also need to feel comfortable with taking the tablets for a prolonged period of time.

In general though, it really is important to be aware that your first resort solution to get rid of panic attacks shouldn’t always be panic pills, as overcoming panic attacks long term is not likely to be achieved by medication alone. It will help you get rid of panic attacks better perhaps, and also, in might make it more possible for you to use psychological treatment.

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