Posts Tagged anxiety attack
Are Symptoms Of Anxiety More Common Than You Think?
Posted by in Anxiety Disorders, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder on August 29, 2009
There are various symptoms of anxiety ranging from minor; sweating, dry mouth and feeling tired, to severe; choking sensation, derealization, fear of dying and insomnia. These panic symptoms are more commonly related to anxiety disorders such as Social Phobia or GAD, and may last for minutes if not longer.
Anxiety disorders aside, there are many preconceptions as to what anxiety is and why it happens. In actual fact, anxiety is a very common reaction to experiences of danger, stress and fear. Most people have experienced anxiety, but we may have experienced it and reacted in a different way,
One person may respond to a stressful situation well and actually take control. Another person might feel too much pressure and respond entirely differently. The chemical reaction to the situation is the same, yet the outcomes completely different.
We are all unique, so it’s no surprise that our perceptions and fears are different from each other. Although this stress response was designed to help us react to an actual physical danger thousands of years ago, it still has its uses.
Even in modern society the stress response can be highly useful. For example, perhaps you have an important test coming up – you experience anxiety because you don’t want to fail and you want a decent grade. This anxiety is likely to motivate you to study harder for the test and pass.
This can also work in a negative fashion. Say, you have the job interview of a lifetime in a week’s time. You’ve been worrying and stressing about it for the entire week before the interview. On the day of the interview, you’re jittery, sweaty and a nervous wreck – anxiety got the better of you.
Although anxiety is highly adaptive, it can spiral out of control. For people who suffer from anxiety disorders, this is often the case. Sufferers of anxiety disorders usually have an overly sensitive reaction to stress and anxiety. And this is often hard to live with.
Causes of such disorders can be due to excessive stimulation of the stress response. In other cases it can be hereditary and be passed on from parent to child. This does not mean that anxiety disorders aren’t treatable however.
Minor symptoms of anxiety may build up to a full blown panic attack. Often emotions can bottle up and when you least expect it, come pouring out. These kinds of attacks can seem unprovoked but in reality they are not. The important thing to realize, is that symptoms of anxiety are just chemical reactions that we interpret as feelings and sensations.
Help for a Panic Disorder Sufferer
Posted by in Panic Disorder on August 24, 2009
You have started having panic attacks. You’re confused and frightened. Your are wondering if you are dying or maybe just going insane. Why is this happening? Why is this happening to ME?
If the above sounds like you, the good news is that there is help. Panic disorders are probably more common than you realize. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, almost 20% of the people in the US are suffering from an anxiety disorder at any given time. As you begin to talk to more and more people, you will be surprised at how many people are or know someone who is suffering from a panic disorder.
The first step is to go and see your doctor. It is amazing how many people don’t want to take this first obvious step. The quickest cure for panic attacks may very well be a trip to your doctor. Many medical conditions can trigger panic attacks. Your doctor can effectively treat many of these conditions. Once treated, the panic disorder often just goes away. Panic disorders cannot be diagnosed directly. There is no test or procedure you can undergo that will definitively tell you that you are suffering from a pure panic disorder. By “pure” I mean a condition that isn’t caused by an underlying medical condition. Basically, your doctor must eliminate the known medical conditions that can trigger panic attacks. Once these have been eliminated, then you can be pretty sure you are suffering from a pure panic disorder.
You may well ask, “What else causes a pure panic disorder?” In most cases it comes down to stress. Sometimes the cause of this stress is apparent. Panic disorders often show up after childbirth, or during a divorce, or after a loved one has died. In these cases, the panic attacks may go away by themselves as the stress of the event that caused them goes away.
Sometimes the stress that triggers the panic condition isn’t so apparent. Stress can “build up” over time. Modern life itself is stressful. Hectic workplaces, raising kids and aging parents are just a few of the stressful things most of us have to deal with. These stressors can combine together to push you over you own personal panic disorder threshold. No single event may be enough to cause problems, but taken together may be enough to trigger panic attacks.
There are a number of treatments that have been used successfully treat this second or “pure” type of panic disorder. Your doctor has a number of drugs available to help treat your panic disorder. These drugs come with advantages and disadvantages. Long-term drug treatments can be expensive and leave you tied to a pill bottle to remain calm. Many panic disorder sufferers find therapy helpful. Your therapist can help you develop techniques to better deal with the stress in your life. Self-help is another type of treatment that many have found helpful. These “natural” treatments typically take longer than drugs to work. However, they very well may provide the best long-term treatment for your panic disorder.
I am not a doctor and I do not dispense medical advice. This article has been provided for informational purposed only. I have tried to provide the best and most accurate information that I can. However, medical issues should be discussed with qualified medical professionals. Never act on any information you have found on the Internet, including this information, without consulting a medical professional.
Do you suffer from panic or anxiety attacks?
If so, stop by http://www.PanicFreeZone.com for help.
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