Anxiety Attack Symptoms and How To Minimize Them

How do you know you are having an Anxiety Attack, and how can you alleviate the symptoms? Firstly we must understand what an anxiety attack is. An Anxiety attack can often be a traumatic and scary experience. It is a period of sudden and intense fear or discomfort, typically with an abrupt onset and usually lasting for no more than 10 minutes. Sometimes a person can experience a panic attack suddenly without an obvious reason. Most people that experience one attack will usually experience another attack, and those who have recurring attacks, or feel severe anxiety about having another are said to have panic disorder.

Symptoms of a panic or anxiety attack are intense heartbeat, difficulty with breathing, palpitation, feeling sick, excessive sweating and trembling, chest pains, fearful of going crazy or about to die, sudden chills, and the like. Some people may experience different or more anxiety attack symptoms but this does not mean that their condition is far worse or that you are suffering from a different undiagnosed condition. As every person is unique, our anxiety symptoms can be completely different. You might not find among the common anxiety attack symptoms what you are experiencing and it may be tempting to think something is very wrong with you. However the list above is just a guide only, as everyone reacts differently.

Anxiety can have such a strong negative effect on the quality of life we enjoy, so it is important to treat anxiety disorder as soon as possible. As a human being, it is normal that we feel anxious, worried, and fears occasionally due to the things that our complicated lives bring. Anxiety is just a part of life. It helps us cope with the stresses we may encounter. If you are in a state of anxiety on a regular basis, it is likely that you are experiencing anxiety attacks.

Anxiety attacks involve a sudden surge of overwhelming fear that comes without warning and without any obvious reason, and importantly it is far more intense than having normal anxiety or the feeling of being stressed. It is said that up to one in every 75 people will experience an anxiety attack at one point in his/her life.

A common feeling among sufferers of Anxiety is one of impending death, going crazy or loss of control. Anxiety incidents create an overwhelming urge in many people to escape or run away from the place where the attack begins, and they can often occur at the same time as chest pain or shortness of breath.

If someone is suffering from a phobia, for example fear of heights, an anxiety attack can occur after the phobia is triggered. These anxiety attacks are brief and quickly relieved once the phobia trigger itself is removed. In the conditions of chronic anxiety, one anxiety attack can usually turn into another one, leading to a nervous fatigue over a period of days.

The length of time an anxiety attack lasts can vary hugely, but often it will only last for a few minutes and is considered one of the most upsetting conditions that anyone can live through in everyday life. The way to understand the different symptoms of anxiety attack is: first, comes the sudden jolt of fear with less or no triggering motivation, and then this will lead to a release of adrenaline (epinephrine), which causes the supposed fight-or-flight response, where the persons body prepares for major physical activity. This results in an increased heart rate, labored breathing or hyperventilation, and sweating. The diaphragm, involved in the action of the lungs, is also a muscle and it can become overly tight. When there is normal anxiety a person frequently works too hard when breathing. However, if there is hyperanxiety or an anxiety attack, there is overwhelming excitement, and a person may hyperventilate.

Because strenuous activity hardly ever arises, this hyperventilation leads to carbon dioxide levels lowering in the lungs and then the blood, resulting to the shift in the pH of the blood, which will then lead to many of the other symptoms, such as tingling or numbness, dizziness, and lightheadedness.

It is certainly true that an anxiety attack is a serious problem, but before you start believing you have this condition and go running to see a doctor, stop and take a deep breath! Relax before you start having an anxiety attack. Dont start worrying unduly that it may lead to something serious and may affect your daily routine. Take things slowly. In any case, if you think you have this condition, the first thing you should do is see a doctor. If you are diagnosed with anxiety attack condition, appropriate medication and good counseling can bring your life to normal again. If you do not have anxiety disorder you should accept occasionally you will feel anxiety, but this is natural and healthy.

[Article Source: http://www.positivearticles.com]

Anxiety attack symptoms can be defined as those feelings we experience when we feel we are in sudden danger. An Anxiety attack can be a terrifying experience. It often involves a period of sudden and intense fear or discomfort, typically starting very suddenly and unexpectedly, and lasting for up to 10 minutes. Often someone can experience a panic attack all of a sudden without particular reason. Most people that experience one attack will usually experience another attack, and those who have recurring attacks, or feel severe anxiety about having another are said to have panic disorder.

For more Anxiety and Panic articles by Anne Girder, visit Anxiety Attack Tips. For additional information about Anne and Anxiety Disorder visit http://www.squidoo.com/anxiety-attack-symptoms-explained/

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