Common symptoms of panic attacks

• Heart Attack
  Many people think their panic symptoms are really a heart attack. There are differences between the two in symptoms as well as diagnosis. Panic attacks can happen at any time, very often during rest, and include the feeling of impending doom, terror, and loss of control whereas heart attacks may be more related to exertion and exercise. Any chest pain or discomfort may diminish as you slow down your physical effort. A heart attack leaves a physical footprint on EKGs and panic attacks don’t, other than perhaps a fast heart rate.A panic attack may cause an increased heart rate, but not to a dangerous level. In fact, the rate during the episode is actually less than with vigorous physical exercise.
• Loss of Control
  Many sufferers feel they will lose control when they panic. They fear their body will do things of it’s own volition and their mind will not have any control over it. They picture themselves getting up and running around the room saying crazy stuff while people stare at them. Having thoughts like that lead to feelings of panic! Rest assured there is no loss of control. You may exercise the “flight” part of fight or flight and leave the situation, but you will not fall over paralyzed or become wild.

• Going Crazy
  During a panic attack the sufferer has irrational feelings and physical responses and it’s those irrational feelings and thoughts that make them feel like maybe they’re “going crazy.” The differences are someone who is “crazy” or schizophrenic has delusions (they’re King of the United States) or hallucinations (hearing voices) while the individual who is having an attack is having momentary feelings of irrational fear. Additionally, a panic attack does not cause schizophrenia unless they were on their way there already with that issue and have strong family genetics that predispose them.

• Fainting
  It is not hard to see why fear of fainting may be foremost in the mind of a panic sufferer, but rarely does that actually happen. This fear comes about because of the similar symptoms someone would feel right before fainting – dizziness and lightheadedness. But really, what the body is feeling during an attack; that increased fight or flight adrenaline rush, is the opposite of fainting. The response is aptly called fight or flight, not fight, flight, or faint.

Other symptoms that people fear could happen when they have a panic attack is that it could be a result of, or cause of, epilepsy or an aneurysm. These have not been proven true and should provide some peace of mind. In fact, dispelling all the above mistaken beliefs should help the panic attack sufferer feel a lot better.

Do you fear a panic attack could strike at any moment? Click here to learn more about Panic Away

Related posts:

1. Symptoms of a Panic Attack
2. Can Stress Cause Anxiety or Panic Attacks?
3. The Symptoms of GERD/Acid Reflux

Keep in mind that some amount of anxiety is normal in our hectic daily lives. However, it can be devastating if you are suffering from extreme anxiety or are constantly feeling anxious for no reason. If you experience insomnia, inability to think clearly, tiredness, headaches and/or a number of other maladies of anxiety, you may want to consider some natural remedies that will help you get your life back.

Studies have shown that the following natural remedies can help symptoms of anxiety:

• Breathing techniques – Deep breathing exercises associated with yoga and other forms of meditation can help to overcome anxiety or panic attacks. Research various techniques to find which is best for you.
• Aromatherapy – Massage oils added to baths or infusers can help anxiety. Some essential oils derived from plants for aromatherapy treatments are lavender, geranium, cypress and jasmine.
• Passionflower – Long used to treat anxiety and insomnia, passionflower has been found to cause fewer side effects than prescription drugs such as mexazolam. Don’t take passionflower with other medications without consulting your health care professional. GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid) – GABA is an amino acid that helps ease anxiety symptoms by positively affecting brain receptors.
• Valerian – The herb, Valerian, is often used effectively to treat insomnia and promote calmness. As with passionflower, don’t use with prescription medications until you’re sure there will be no consequences.
• St. John’s Wort – Often taken as an antidepressant, St. John’s Wort can also lessen anxiety symptoms. Don’t take this remedy with other prescription drugs, especially antidepressants such as Paxil.
• B-Vitamins – Vitamin B12, in particular, helps the body ward off stress and anxiety. Try taking a B-Complex multi-vitamin supplement each day.

Most anxiety problems are due to stress, both emotional and physical. It’s a sign that your body and mind are in distress. Seek balance in your life by taking steps to reduce stress, get enough sleep and take better care of yourself.

It’s important that you also reduce caffeine intake and attempt to work some type of daily exercise into your schedule to overcome normal anxiety.

Related posts:

1. Natural Remedies for Treating Uterine Fibroids
2. Natural Remedies for Acid Reflux and Heartburn
3. Natural Remedies for High Blood Pressure

The anxiety attacks can come on unnoticed and they can seem like everyday stress-related problems. If these attacks continue to go untreated, they can become out of control in an unsuspecting person.

In order to recognize the indicators for an anxiety attack, you have to understand the symptoms of stress first. Each person experiences stress differently, but some of the general symptoms of stress include problems with memory, confusion, difficulty in concentrating and racing thoughts.

You’ll see some of those symptoms in anxiety attacks as well, but you’ll notice more of the physical symptoms when an attack is occurring. Some people experience shortness of breath, pounding heart rhythm, trembling or shakiness within the body, stomachaches and hot or cold flashes.

When the attack has reached its high point, you’ll notice a feeling of being out of control or losing a grip on yourself. Unfortunately, those experiencing anxiety attacks don’t always recognize their symptoms as an attack.

It sometimes takes someone else who knows them well to realize that there’s something wrong. Once anxiety attacks are suspected in a person, they need to seek out medical attention from a professional who can determine if they’re anxiety attacks and not another medical-related illness.

When the physician rules out anything medical and determines that they are anxiety attacks, he may start them on some type of medication to help relieve them of some of the symptoms and encourage the patient to seek a counselor.

A counselor will listen to the patient’s history and determine what stressing factors could be causing their symptoms. Once the patient gets a handle on the contributing factors for their attacks, a treatment plan would then be set up, based on the patient’s situation. A counselor can help them work through the stressors and show them ways to alleviate the stress causing their symptoms.

There are many websites devoted to the use of relaxation techniques that reduce symptoms to a more manageable level and breathing exercises to improve oxygen intake, which could help slow down a racing heart rhythm.

When everyday stress escalates, there are many ways to settle the overwhelming feelings of edginess. Getting the proper help is a start to calming the anxious emotions raging within you. Finding out what stressors cause those emotions and learning how to combat them can bring a sense of relief and feelings of comfort to know that you can overcome anxiety or panic attacks.

Related posts:

1. Symptoms of a Panic Attack
2. Natural Remedies for Anxiety
3. Panic Attack Symptoms that are Easily Mistaken

Now, keep in mind that you may not experience all of these symptoms. People react differently to situations in a variety of ways. The most common symptoms of a panic attack are as follows:

• Tightness in the chest
• Racing or rapid heart rate
• Shortness of breath
• Hyperventilating
• Flushed feeling
• Excessive sweating or clamminess
• Nausea and dizziness
• Muscle tension
• Fear of impending doom and terror

Panic attacks may be caused by any of the following:

• Momentary of long-term stress
• Hormonal or chemical imbalance
• Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Excessive sugar or caffeine in your body

For most people experiencing their first panic attack, they feel like they’re having a heart attack or are dying. They’re rushed to the hospital only to find that their heart is fine and the doctors can’t find anything physically wrong with them.

If you don’t recognize or discuss the idea of panic attacks, you may leave feeling that something is wrong with you and you begin to visit different medical doctors trying to determine the cause.

Panic attacks occur when our natural “fight or flight” reaction goes into overdrive, releasing excessive amounts of adrenaline. Your body believes that it is about to be attacked and brings forth all the responses that would go along with a seriously dangerous situation. However, the event at hand does not warrant this type of behavior.

Yes, you know your fear is way out of proportion but you are unable to stop it. You can say to yourself, “This is silly, I’m just going to continue driving for another 5 miles as I’ve done many times in the past” but your body reacts differently.

Even scarier is realizing that these attacks can happen at any time. Some people wake up in the middle of the night with them or have them occur when doing something as benign as watching TV.

Probably the worst part is the constant worrying and the fear of expecting another panic attack. In fact, the worry can be enough to trigger a panic attack.

It seems each episode is burned into your brain and you feel if you’re in the same situation or location, you will surely have another attack. Because of this, you start avoiding these situations or locations. But avoidance behavior is not the answer.

If these symptoms seem true for you, seek help and get answers to your questions. You don’t have to continue to suffer from panic attacks; there are many treatment options available.

Related posts:

1. Panic Attack Symptoms that are Easily Mistaken
2. Can Stress Cause Anxiety or Panic Attacks?
3. The Symptoms of GERD/Acid Reflux

If you feel you may have more anxiety or your anxiety is more intense than is normal, you may have an anxiety disorder.

How do you decide if your level of anxiety in a given situation is normal or not? Let’s say you see a man walking towards you with a gun pointed at you, naturally your level of anxiety is going to be high in that situation. On the other hand, if you feel anxious just driving to the mall, your level of anxiety is probably out of proportion. There are six major types of anxiety disorders:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
People with GAD constantly worry about everyday things like health, money, or family problems that we all worry about at sometime or another. The difference is GAD sufferers are at a heightened state of anxiety all the time. It can keep them up at night, cause chronic tiredness and nausea. If you are suffering from GAD, your levels of anxiety are higher than the average person. You imagine and worry about situations that will most likely never happen to you or your loved ones. Examples: Worrying that your daughter riding to school on her bike will get into a serious accident; you are afraid to drive to the neighborhood grocery store because you are convinced you’ll be involved in car wreck; you visualize in your mind the funeral scene should your husband die unexpectedly tomorrow.

Panic Disorder
With this type of anxiety disorder, you experience repeated and unexpected panic attacks. You also fear that the next episode can and will happen soon. Excessive adrenaline and the brain incorrectly assessing a situation with intense anxiety bring on anticipated or random attacks of panic. You spend a lot of time worrying you will have another panic attack and go to great lengths to avoid situations that might bring on an attack. Example: While taking a flight you get a panic attack with symptoms of not being able to breathe, a pounding heart and clamminess in your palms.

Social Anxiety
This is beyond shyness; it’s a high level of anxiety about being out in public or in a group situation. It’s an excessive fear about social places and situations, and it can be incapacitating. You may have low self-esteem or worry too much about what others think of you. You may practice avoidance rather than deal with the anxiety. Example: Severe anxiousness when attending a church service or intense fear of going to any place where there is a crowd of people.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD is characterized by obsessive thoughts and anxieties followed by repetitive performance of a ritual. Examples: Unlocking and locking your car door 6 times before you can leave it; washing your hands with 3 squirts of soap and washing the back of the hands 4 times each.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can develop after being exposed to a terrifying event or ordeal in which you experienced or were threatened with grave physical harm. You have very real feelings of anxiety that a similar event will happen again. Examples: The traumatic event of rape can lead to fear of all men; flashbacks; not being able to sleep alone etc.

Phobias
Phobias are persistent, irrational fears and are associated with anxiety. If you are presented with the object of your fears, you immediately experience high levels of anxiety. Examples: Fear of airplanes; fear of snakes.

Having some anxiety in our lives is normal but when it is disproportionate to the point that it seems to be taking over your life, then it is possible that you may be suffering from one of the six major types of anxiety disorders.

For more information about anxiety disorders, visit the National Institute of Mental Health’s web site.

Related posts:

1. Symptoms of a Panic Attack
2. Can Stress Cause Anxiety or Panic Attacks?
3. Get a Better Understanding of Eating Disorders