Anxiety Attack Symptoms
How Anxiety Affects You And Signs To Look For When Feeling Anxious
Anxiety attack symptoms are not pleasant. Anyone that has suffered from an anxiety attack will know this. Find out the most common symptoms and how you can easily overcome this terrible condition.
Some of the most common symptoms of anxiety attacks are
- being short of breath
- a dizzy feeling
- fast heart rate
- sweaty hands
- a tight chest
- blurred vision
- disorientation
The feeling of extreme agitation and the associated symptoms of a panic disorder are induced by the bodies natural reaction to a perceived stressful situation.
Often referred to as the ‘fight or flight syndrome’ the body is preparing to fight or runaway from danger. This is one of our primal instincts, however as we have developed over millennia we have somewhat learnt to control these ‘animal’ behaviours.
It is from the suppression of these emotions that our bodies have become unaccustomed to the feelings associated with a dangerous situation. Sometimes when the mind is put under unexpected emotional duress, the body will react in an unexpected way.
It can be quite frightening when a person experiences these anxious symptoms. They may feel as though they are about to pass out or even feel they are dying. For a person that is not sure what is happening the experience can be a truly terrifying one, full of fear and dread.
For a person under the stress of a bad relationship, debt or work problems the sudden onset of anxiety related symptoms can be traumatic. As their personal problems escalate the panic symptoms only get worse and worse until the person is a nervous wreck in a true state of despair.
Often people may turn to smoking, drinking or even harder narcotics to try and find a way to escape the onset of the anxieties. In turn these substances only serve to prolong the condition, making the sufferer worse as a result and even contributing to health problems later on.
It is certain that anxiety attacks and panic disorders are not a pleasant experience for anyone.
So What Can Be Done About Anxiety and Panic Attacks?
Thankfully there are plenty of treatments available.
One short term treatment that has often been recommended is to breathe into a paper bag. However this has also been criticised as it can actually worsen the situation by restricting oxygen to the brain. Often the onset of the anxiety attack is due to low oxygen levels through restricted breathing and higher heart rates. Breathing into a paper bag can surely only make matters worse by restricting oxygen and I would certainly advise against any treatment such as this.
Another treatment is through the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRI’s. These medications work by blocking receptors in the brain and allowing serotonin levels to increase. The effectiveness of these medications is still debated and of course there are numerous side effects including fatigue, loss of appetite, depression, sexual dysfunction and even suicidal tendencies have been reported. All in all, while these medications may help someone with a mild anxiety disorder, long term use may well result in worse symptoms than the sufferer began with.
The preferred method for treating any form of anxiety or panic disorder is through behavioural therapy. Often known as CBT or cognitive behavioural therapy in medical terms, a person is simply made aware of the issues they are having and given a series of sessions that ease the person out of their anxious state of mind. This is the most long lasting and safest method as it serves to reverse the effects the anxiety has been having.
Fortunately there are online resources that allow a person to go through this type of therapy without needing to pay for expensive sessions. These online sessions can be done from the comfort of your own home, which is more than welcome to many sufferers of anxiety and anxiety attack symptoms.
One such resource is Panic Away. They have been online helping people get rid of anxiety and stress related problems for over seven years now. There are many reports from people all over the world that have used their methods and broken free of their anxiety symptoms. If you truly want to overcome your anxiety and panic related problems then I urge you to visit their site and see how they can also help you.