subject: What To Look For When Dealing With Anxiety Attack Symptoms [print this page] Although anxiety attack triggers are recognizable enough, the actual panic attacks themselves can be very unpredictable and can come often enough without warning. Those who suffer often live out their lives anxiously awaiting the onset of the next attack and feel a certain despair at their helplessness. There are a wide variety of anxiety attacks symptoms which can vary from episode to episode. These symptoms are usually a result of the body improper utilization of neurotransmitters that aid in regulation and self-control and can include difficulty of breath, fatigue, sweating, nausea, stomach cramps, a feeling of dread, heart palpitations and trembling among other things. Anyone experiencing an anxiety attack for the first time can associate the feeling with dying as the symptoms are similar enough to those that precede a heart attack. Even if the sufferer is in peak physical condition, after an initial attack the individual might have a tendency to misdiagnose themselves with heart disease.
The possibility of another anxiety attack can make life difficult. Even once you are able to recognize patterns that lead to anxiety episodes, you have to make many adjustments to your daily routine in order to avoid situations that might trigger them. In addition to being able to recognize these triggers, one should also be able to remove them or yourself from the environment before an attack can begin. Those that suffer from anxiety disorder symptoms require a certain amount of vigilance in almost all aspects of their lives. Although a cure might still be a long way away, controlling the condition through medication, stress reduction, and behavioral therapy is possible. Medication may be applied if the attacks are either occurring frequently enough to interfere significantly with a person's quality of life, or if attacks are so severe that having it run its course no longer becomes a practical option. Behavioral therapy can help address underlying issues and help sufferers confront their fears and allow them to address situations in a more positive manner. Stress reduction through therapy and other means such as exercise and meditation can also lessen the severity of anxiety attacks and their symptoms.
Dealing with individual anxiety attacks is a skill that should be learned to be able to get through them more quickly instead of just waiting for the episode to run its course. Shortness of breath is brought about by unconsciously holding your breath when under stress and can be both a symptom and a trigger. A certain tightening in the chest as well as a rapid pulse are indicators of a panic attack resulting from the flight or fight response that occurs during perceived danger. Also, feelings of detachment from reality in conjunction with the other symptoms point to an anxiety attack.
