Don't allow panic attacks to take over your life - we can help...

Helping people rapidly overcome Panic Attacks has developed into one of the specialist services offered at the Elite Clinic in Fuengirola. Our approach has proved to be not only very successful but also to offer a permanent and speedy solution.

You should know that you are not alone; it has been estimated that up to a third of the population experience at least one panic attack. Most of these adults never develop repeated attacks. This startling data means that an anxiety / panic disorder is the most common emotional disorder on the planet and is more common than alcohol abuse or depression. Sadly it also has the lowest rates - about 22% - for suffers seeking and finding help, which is readily available and usually very successful.

A panic attack can be described as a sudden surge of overwhelming fear that comes without warning and without any obvious reason. It is far more intense than the feeling of being 'stressed out' that most people experience.

Symptoms of a panic attack include:

• Racing heartbeat
• Difficulty breathing, feeling as though you 'can't get enough air'
• Terror that is almost paralysing
• Dizziness, light-headedness or nausea
• Trembling, sweating, shaking
• Choking, chest pains
• Hot flushes, or sudden chills
• Tingling in fingers or toes ('pins and needles')
• Fear that you're going to go crazy or are about to die

A recent client of Elite, 29-year-old Susan Hardstone was recently married and lives in Marbella. Outwardly she appeared to be in perfect health. Then one day, completely out of the blue, her life changed for no apparent reason and with no warning. At that moment she joined millions of others who suffer with panic attacks on a regular basis.

One Friday morning in February, while she was shopping at La Caņada, she suddenly developed an "overwhelming" sensation all over her body; she was sweating and trembling, and felt that her heart was pumping too fast. Within a few seconds, she also suffered from chest pain and shortness of breath. This episode lasted for about 10 minutes, but she felt that this was the worst ten minutes of her life.
Scared by her experience, she started to stay away from shopping centres and also avoided being in a crowd of people. Because of the frequency of the attacks, Susan found she could no longer function normally: this had a major effect on her job, and she felt it was also starting to have a negative influence on her marriage. Finally she became afraid to leave the house or go to work.

Susan's experience is typical of someone with Panic Disorder; they develop anxiety attacks associated with the thought that they might die or develop a stroke or heart attack. Physical changes such as fast heart beat, shortness of breath; fainting episodes, sweating and trembling are some of the accompanying symptoms.

A typical episode usually comes "out of the blue" and is not precipitated by any triggers. It can therefore happen any time and anywhere. An attack can last for a few to several minutes and often leaves the person feeling very tired.

One episode can make a person feel scared of having another one. In fact, a lot of people feel distressed anticipating the occurrence of another attack. So most individuals prefer to stay at home and isolate themselves from friends, co-workers, and even relatives. Eventually they become incapacitated.

There are two methods of treating Panic Disorder. The condition can be successfully treated with an antidepressant drug such as the serotonin-reuptake inhibitors and other prescription drugs. Your doctor would normally undertake a full examination before deciding to prescribe such a drug to you.

The second and usually preferred and very successful method is therapy based; at Elite Clinics we use a combination of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Hypnotherapy, which provides a rapid improvement and a long-term solution. As well as being a drug-free approach, 'Therapy Based' solutions are now becoming the preferred option by many professionals.

Susan first visited her doctor (which is always recommended by Elite) who confirmed that she was not suffering from any physical condition, she then decided to visit the Elite Clinic in Fuengirola, and within two weeks she felt that she was on the road back to her normal self.

Potential clients of Elite suffering from Panic Attacks are always invited to the Clinic for a non-obligatory initial consultation. This "call in for a chat" informal meeting usually lasts no more than 15 minutes. An accompanying friend or relative / partner is always welcome to attend the initial meeting too.

Both Martin and Marion have a regular slot on southern Spain's popular radio station, Onda Cero International, (OCI). To listen to a recent interview about panic attacks that Martin recorded with Leah Dunne, simply right click on the Onda Cero logo, then left click on Save Target As... Choose where you want to save the file, e.g. on your desktop, then simply click on "open" when it's finished downloading and the interview will start to play automatically.

Elite regularly welcomes clients from the UK and other parts of Europe who travel to Spain specifically to undertake a dedicated course of treatment. We invite such clients to contact us either by phone or email; we will be happy to phone you back and discuss the various treatment options possible, which can include everything from regular weekend / midweek visits to longer stays of between 5 and 21 days as appropriate.

Click here for a list of relevant airlines flying into Malaga, and also a few hotel options. We look forward to meeting you.

In addition to seeing clients at the clinic, Martin and Marion undertake private, home visits, both in Spain and internationally, subject to availability and negotiation.

To arrange a free, initial consultation, or for further information, please contact Elite on 951 31 15 91, or click here to e-mail us.