Understanding Anxiety Attacks

Almost everyone suffers from an anxiety attack at some point in life. Whether it’s a fear of failing at an important task or a concern that an animal or some other force will cause harm, the mind and body go into synch and actual physical symptoms tend to manifest themselves. For some people, however, normal fear becomes paralyzing and persistent and actual full-blown anxiety attacks become almost a way of life.

Understanding what anxiety attacks are, how they present and what can be done about them can help people around an anxiety sufferer better grasp what a friend of loved one is going through. It can also help the person who suffers from the attacks realize the need to seek out effective treatments before anxiety waylays life.

Anxiety attacks are very similar to the mental/physical reactions that happen in the fight or flight phenomena. The mind perceives a threat and the body reacts. The difference between a “normal” attack and an abnormal situation generally involves the perceived threat. In the case of anxiety disorders, the “danger” can be quite mundane, but not always. What does happen here is that threats are perceived when they are not really present, or the reaction is out of proportion to the situation. For example, a person who has an extreme fear of public speaking isn’t really in danger, but his or her mind might think so; therefore, the body reacts.

In most cases, anxiety attacks have very intense, fast onsets. They are typically characterized by the following symptoms:

• Intense feelings of fear and danger
• Chest pains, heart palpitations, sweating, trembling and other physical symptoms
• A feeling of depersonalization or a surreal atmosphere
• A strong sense of doom and fear of death
• Lack of breath
• Hot flashes or chills

The unfortunate thing about anxiety attacks is that their symptoms often mimic other serious health conditions. This can lead to false diagnosis and even fuel the fears that death is imminent. When anxiety attacks are properly diagnosed, people generally are treated with a combination of medications and therapy to help them regain control of their lives.

Anxiety attacks can have a one-time presentation or they might occur on a repetitive basis. In the case of the latter, therapy is almost always advised as repetition is generally a sign of a more serious anxiety disorder.

Anxiety attacks are very real manifestations of fear. They can actually be quite normal reactions to a serious situation, or they might present out of irrational fear. If they are repetitive, help generally is required to combat and overcome them and the cause.

Anxiety Medicine Can Take The Edge Off

With an estimated 40 million Americans living with the impacts of anxiety disorders, the need for property treatment is evident. This mental illness can create symptoms that make getting through everyday life difficult at best. Fortunately, there are a host of anxiety medicine options that patients are often given to coincide with other forms of treatment.

When anxiety medication is used in conjunction with therapy, self-help techniques and support, many forms of anxiety are treatable and even curable. Even conditions as serious as posttraumatic stress disorder can be brought under wraps with the use of anxiety medication.

Types Of Anxiety Medication

There are two types of anxiety medication that most doctors consider prescribing to patients. They both can have a very positive impact in lessening and/or controlling the symptoms of anxiety.

• Antidepressants. Medications such as Zoloft and Paxil are given for more long-term treatment of anxiety symptoms. These medications can take some time to work, so patients are advised to use them as directed and follow instructions carefully. When used in conjunction with behavioral and cognitive therapy, this type of anxiety medicine can be very beneficial for patients.
• Anti-anxiety. This type of anxiety medication involves rapid treatment of acute symptoms. This class of anxiety medicine is considered potentially addictive and has depressant effects. Patients are advised not to take this form of medication for a long period of time. Other options for treatment are generally more effective for overall, lasting relief from anxiety symptoms.

What Medicine Does
Anxiety medicine is not necessarily designed to cure or overcome anxiety symptoms. What it does do is bring symptoms in line so patients can work on other forms of therapy. When anxiety disorders are present, patients often benefit from:

• Psychological therapy – Behavioral and cognitive therapy can give people the tools they need to overcome anxiety disorder. When medications bring symptoms in line, patients are free to work on other, most lasting, techniques for conquering their anxiety disorder. In many cases, positive thinking, desensitization and other techniques come into play to assist patients in “living through” the experiences that trigger their anxiety.
• Self-help. Meditative therapy, self-hypnosis, relaxation techniques and more can all help patients further overcome their illnesses. While it is true not all anxiety disorders are curable, most are controllable if the right therapy is applied.

Anxiety medicine is not a cure all, but it is an important part of an overall treatment plan. When controlling symptoms is a must to put a person back on the right track, these medicines do the job.

Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Anxiety and panic attacks are one in the same. When you experience a panic attack you are experiencing an anxiety attack. Anxiety and panic attacks will make it difficult for you to live a normal life. This is especially true if you experience anxiety and panic attacks frequently that could cause you to miss important scheduled activities. These attacks can prevent you from doing the things you love and enjoy.

When you start to have an anxiety or panic attack your body responds quickly to the anxiety provoking stimuli. Something in your environment will spark some fear, worry or anxiety. For some, panic attacks can have no warning; there may be no stimulus that causes your anxiety. You may wake up one morning and be afraid or worried for no known reason. Once you begin to feel these anxiety symptoms, it may be hard for you to control them. These symptoms start to build to a point where your body feels that it is in danger of some sort of outside situation. These feelings then cause your body to react physiologically.

This means that your body will begin to change from a calm state to a panic state. You may begin to feel physically ill such as nausea, headaches, hot flashes, chills and other bodily issues. You may feel as though you are having a heart attack because your heart may begin to beat faster, you will feel tightening in your chest or feel heart palpitations. You also may feel as though you are having a seizure because if you experience enough anxiety, your body may react with involuntary movements such as twitching, jittering, or the shakes. These physiological reactions will make it difficult to bring your anxiety level back down. You may start to feel afraid that a more serious medical problem is occurring which will add to the anxiety you are experiencing.

The reason why your body goes into a physiological response when confronted with anxiety symptoms is because your body will believe that you are in a dangerous situation. Naturally, your body will try to either fight the dangerous situation or flee from it. Both of these ways to deal with anxiety producing stimuli involves your body getting ‘worked up’ so that it can be able to step up to battle. Once the fear or worry subsides, your body will take that cue and return to a stable and calm state.
When you experience anxiety and panic attacks, the psychological and physical symptoms make it difficult for you to drive, leave your house or engage in any activity. The terror you feel may even temporarily paralyze you so that you are not able to move. You may feel so sick physically that you will not want to or be able to engage in any activities. This can cause you much distress especially if you are required to do something or be somewhere.

Some people who experience anxiety or panic attacks have a hard time going places or doing things because they fear that it will spark an anxiety or panic attack. This makes life difficult because you can’t live freely and do anything you want to do. This limits you and can cause problems at work or school.

There is help for those who experience anxiety and panic attacks. If you speak to your healthcare professional you can receive an evaluation which will help determine if you need medication. Some physicians will also refer you to a therapist who will help you control your anxiety levels and help reduce the amount of anxiety and panic attacks you experience.

Anxiety Is More Prevalent Than Many Realize

Just about everyone suffers from a bought of anxiety at some point in life. Whether it’s fear of an upcoming final exam or concern that a loved one might be injured, most people have experienced the gripping fear that can consume thoughts and actions. While this type of passing anxiety is generally quite justified and normal, millions deal with the sensation on virtually a daily basis.

According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, this condition is the most common mental illness in America. Some 40 million people in America, age 18 or older, suffer from one form of anxiety disorder or another. The condition is believed to cost more than $42 billion a year, or roughly a third of the total expenditures on mental health in the country a year. The actual illnesses that fall under the anxiety grouping include such things as generalized anxiety, panic disorder, post traumatic stress and a host of others. Dealing with the condition often depends a great deal on the exact type of anxiety disorder at hand.

As common as disorders related to anxiety are, they are not well understood. Generalized anxiety disorder, which is one of the most common forms, has a few potential causes, but the exact reason why it appears is not fully understood. At this point, scientists and physicians believe this disorder is caused by genetics, brain chemistry and even environmental factors, such as death of a loved one, stress and even withdrawal from certain addictive substances. If the cause can be isolated, treatment is often able to be a bit more focused. If anxiety is caused by the death of a loved one, for example, working through that issue can often help a person find relief from symptoms.

Living with anxiety is not very pleasant for patients who deal with the condition. In some cases, people’s symptoms are so bad they cordon themselves off from life and refuse to do things in fear of panic attacks and other related symptoms.

Treating these disorders is possible with medications, therapy and persistency. Many people also find that self-relaxation techniques can help them stop panic attacks in their tracks. The best course of action often depends on which disorder exactly a person suffers from. Physicians and psychologists will often suggest tailored treatments to meet the needs of an individual patient.

Living live with anxiety disorders is not a fun undertaking. For some 40 million people in the U.S. alone, every day presents with a fear that symptoms will appear and sideline life. Battling through the condition generally involves a long-term approach and a lot of persistence and patience.