subject: Panic Attack General Information - What You Need to Know [print this page] Push Away Anxiety: Learning About Panic Attacks Palpitations, difficulty breathing, cold sweats, chest pains and even an overwhelming fear that can make you scared to even go out of your house? Although these symptoms may cause you to believe that you are having a heart attack, the intense fear and irrational anxiety that can debilitate you means that you are having a panic attack. Because symptoms like increased heart rate and chest pains mimic heart attacks, most panic attacks are not treated until they develop into an anxiety disorder, which can lead to more serious disorders such as agoraphobia or the fear of open spaces and crowds. Because of the intensity of these symptoms, panic attacks can be very frightening but this doesn't mean that they cannot be treated. A good step that needs to be taken in order to treat these attacks before they turn into serious anxiety disorders is to understand what they are. The following are useful information you can use to determine if you are experiencing anxiety attacks. 1. Anxiety and fear can lead to panic attacks. Although all of us experience fear and anxiety, these can lead to anxiety disorders if they begin to happen for little or no reason. Sometimes, certain fears become so intense that they lead to physical discomfort such as chest pains, dizziness, sweating and palpitations. If you are having a panic attack, these symptoms can be accompanied by intense feelings of doom or the fear of losing control, going crazy or even being embarrassed in public. Attacks can last from 10 minutes to an hour. 2. Anyone can experience panic attacks. From the poor to the rich, from males to females, from teenagers to adults-anyone can experience an anxiety attack at one point in their life. Panic attacks can also happen at any time-while driving, watching a movie, studying or even while sleeping. Sometimes, these attacks can be mistaken for a simple case of the nerves, but can often lead to a more serious anxiety disorder if not properly managed. 3. A lot of different events can cause panic attacks. Even something as seemingly simple as the scent of a perfume can trigger an attack. Anxiety disorder sufferers can find that even a TV commercial can cause attacks. A certain perfume, for instance, may remind someone of the cologne a parent wore while abusing him as a child. Or a particular type of car may have brought back memories of a tragic vehicular accident. These reminders may bring the onset of anxiety attack symptoms such as sweating, increased heart rate, dilated pupils and palpitations. Certain events like bad childhood memories, accidents, the death of a loved one, stress, substance abuse and even chemical imbalances in the brain can all become triggers of anxiety attacks. 4. Each person experiences different symptoms. Although there is a long list of symptoms-from cold sweats to palpitations and trembling-each person experiences an anxiety attack differently. For some, the attacks can bring dizziness and nausea, while others may feel their heart rate increase and their pupils dilate. Other symptoms might even trigger actual heart attacks because of the severity of the panic attack. 5. You can stop an anxiety attack from getting worse. One of the best ways to deal with an attack is to be able to determine when it is happening and stop it from escalating. Proper breathing and relaxation techniques can help slow down the heart rate and calm down someone who is going through a panic attack. Soothing music, the visualization of a serene place or a joyful experience can also help relax someone suffering from an attack and prevent it from becoming worse. Certain medications can also stop panic attacks. 6. Anxiety disorders can be treated. If panic attacks aren't dealt with or handled properly, they can lead to a serious anxiety disorder. Attacks can be debilitating, but they can be treated and prevented. The combination of proper medication and therapy can help those whose lives are affected by this disorder by balancing out the chemicals (or neurotransmitters responsible for different emotions) in the brain and by helping patients cope with stress and anxiety the right way. Panic attacks can happen to anyone at anytime in their lives and if handled properly, they become harmless bouts with stress and anxiety. But sometimes, these attacks can lead to a serious anxiety disorder. Don't let stress and anxiety get the better of you-with proper relaxation techniques, medication, therapy and a good, positive outlook on life, you don't have to fear or worry about anxiety attacks developing into serious disorders.
Panic Attack General Information - What You Need to Know
