subject: What Does a Panic Attack Feel Like? Understanding the Feelings [print this page] What Does a Panic Attack Feel Like? Understanding the Feelings
Initially it is the feeling of your body preparing to either fight for you life or run for your life. This is a natural process that kept your ancestors alive. But when it is inappropriately triggered, the run or fight part does not follow. This causes many of the symptoms of a panic attack.
Imagine you are walking in the woods and come across a bear that takes an interest in you. In an instant your body responds to the danger with it's fight or flight response. Your breathing rate increases to provide more oxygen to the muscles. Blood sugar is directed away from the brain to fuel your muscles. Blood flow is restricted near the skin to reduce blood loss from injuries. Sweating starts to increase grip and aid in heat dissipation.
Your body automatically responds in ways that give you the greatest chance of survival. But when there happens without an immediate threat the symptoms are disturbing. During a panic attack this happens without the real threat of danger. Then symptoms caused by this preparation include rapid breathing, dizziness and sweating. This is the first part of the answer to the question, "what does a panic attack feel like?"
When in a struggle for your life you will either run or fight. Both are physical exertions that will burn off the adrenaline of the fight or flight response. Having a attack is like being tied to tree when the bear approaches. Unable to run or fight, the fight or flight response starts having a negative effect on your body. This is what happens during a panic attack.
The rapid breathing causes a drop in carbon dioxide levels and alters the blood PH. This can cause worst dizziness, whole body tingling, numbness. These symptoms can trigger the release of more adrenaline that can cause shakiness, trembling and nausea. This is the second part of the answer to the question "what does a panic attack feel like?"
On top of all these physical sensations, the mind is making judgments and evaluations. Some of the most common ones are; you are going to pass out, you are going crazy, you are having a heart attack, your are, you are experiencing suffocation, you have lost control. In reality these things are not possible but these thoughts add more terror to the attack.
What does a panic attack feel like? The combination of these three sets of symptoms describes the feelings of a panic attack. The natural feelings of the fight or flight response, the unnatural inactivity after the response and the thinking that goes on during those two periods.
Now you are starting to understand what a panic attack feels like. The next step is to learn more and to learn proven ways to take back control of your life by clicking on this link http://www.overcoming-anxiety-panic.com
