If you are suffering from anxiety attacks or panic attacks you are not alone. There are many people out there that suffer some level of anxiety, some cases are mild and some will have full blown attacks. There may actually be more cases than is currently known because some people do not report it. So what is an anxiety attack?
When someone has their first experience with an anxiety attack they obviously become concerned. As more attacks happen they begin to have a fear of having more and wonder what they are about and why they are happening to them. This fear becomes worse as the episodes continue and this fear can be the catalyst that can cause more incidences. The individual can feel trapped in an endless cycle of fear, attacks and more fear.
An attack of anxiety is a sudden attack of terror or fear or even a feeling of impending doom. It can attack without warning and for no discernable reason. Accompanying symptoms can be a pounding heart, hot or cold flashes, light headedness, tingly skin, nausea, sweating and a feeling of losing control. There are more symptoms but these can be the more common.
Anxiety attacks can last from as little as a few minutes and up to 30 minutes or more. There can be follow up attacks after the initial one that makes the episode feel much longer. In addition, after the attack has subsided the effects of the attack can be felt for hours or days after. Attacks can happen at any age but the age group that has the highest incidents is 17 to 25.