Alicia E. Meuret
UPI: Panic attacks may be predictable
The wire service UPI has covered the research of SMU psychologist Dr. Alicia Meuret showing panic attacks that seem to strike out-of-the-blue are not without warning after all.
Meuret’s study found significant physiological instability one hour before patients reported feeling a panic attack. The findings suggest potentially new treatments for panic, and re-examination of other “unexpected” medical problems, including seizures, strokes and manic episodes, says Meuret, an assistant professor in the SMU Department of Psychology. She was lead researcher on the study. Dr. David Rosenfield, an associate professor in SMU’s Department of Psychology, was lead statistician.
Out-of-the-blue panic attacks aren’t without warning; data show subtle changes before patients’ aware of attack
Panic attacks that seem to strike out-of-the-blue are not without warning after all, says psychologist Alicia Meuret, Southern Methodist University, Dallas.
A new study found significant physiological instability for at least one hour before patients reported feeling a panic attack, Meuret says, suggesting new treatments for panic, seizures, strokes and manic episodes.
Continue reading
The Wall Street Journal: Help for Hyperventilating
A new treatment that helps people with panic disorder normalize their breathing works better to reduce panic symptoms and hyperventilation than traditional cognitive therapy, says SMU psychologist Alicia E. Meuret.
Shirley S. Wang, a health reporter for The Wall Street Jounal, interviewed the SMU psychology department’s Meuret for an article about her research findings that the feeling of suffocation that comes with panic attacks can be alleviated by breathing less — not more. The Feb. 8 article “Help for Hyperventilating” tells readers that deep breathing reduces carbon dioxide in the system, which in turn increases hyperventilation — that scary feeling of suffocating.
Continue reading
Cosmopolitan: Feeling stressed and panicked? Don’t take a deep breath!
A new treatment that helps people with panic disorder normalize their breathing works better to reduce panic symptoms and hyperventilation than traditional cognitive therapy, says SMU psychologist Alicia E. Meuret.
Cosmopolitan magazine has taken note of Meuret’s research with a Jan. 3 article that warns readers to forget about taking a deep breath when they’re feeling stressed and hyperventilating — it will only make the problem worse.
Continue reading
Live Science: Less is more when breathing to relieve panic
A new treatment that helps people with panic disorder normalize their breathing works better to reduce panic symptoms and hyperventilation than traditional cognitive therapy, says SMU psychologist Alicia E. Meuret.
Live Science news site interviewed the SMU psychology department’s Meuret for an article about her research findings that the feeling of suffocation that comes with panic attacks can be alleviated by breathing less — not more. The Dec. 26 article “To Stave Off Panic, Don’t Take a Deep Breath
” tells readers that deep breathing reduces carbon dioxide in the system, which in turn causes symptoms like dizziness and numbness.
A new breathing therapy reduces panic and anxiety by reversing hyperventilation
A new treatment that helps people with panic disorder normalize their breathing works better to reduce panic symptoms and hyperventilation than traditional cognitive therapy, says SMU psychologist Alicia E. Meuret.
Photo: Dr. Alicia Meuret demonstrates the CART breathing technique. (Credit: Hillsman Jackson)
Continue reading
Breathing technique can reduce frequency, severity of asthma attacks
As the health care reform debate turns to cutting costs and improving treatment outcomes, two SMU professors are expanding a study that shows promise for reducing both the expense and suffering associated with chronic asthma.
Thomas Ritz and Alicia Meuret, both of SMU’s Psychology Department, have developed a four-week program to teach asthmatics how to better control their condition by changing the way they breathe.
Continue reading
Deep breathing worsens panic-attack symptoms
Southern Methodist University psychology professor Alicia Meuret proves conventional wisdom is dead wrong: A person suffering a panic attack who tries deep breathing to calm themselves only increases his or her level of hyperventilation and overall panic-related symptoms.
Meuret’s solution? Self-training to expel lesser amounts of carbon dioxide using a hand-held, biofeedback device results in the ability to normalize breathing and avoid hyperventilation.
Continue reading
