Anxiety Attacks-Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Usually anxiety attacks suddenly occur without any warnings, whether you are wide awake or during a peaceful sleep, that may last about 30 minutes or more. An individual who is experiencing an anxiety attack may unexpectedly feel afraid, fearful or woeful. Other feelings like being afraid of imminent doom and being scared that one might lose his own self-control also include. Also to other individuals, they might temporarily experience losing some sense of reality. Other people can only experience a few attacks for over their lifetime, but to some individuals, such attacks occur to them frequently. And to those who suffer from frequent attacks of anxiety, they are more likely to undergo an anxiety disorder.

CAUSE

Attacks of anxiety may be triggered by a serious stress accompanied by a difficult situation or traumatic experiences. For people who suffer from anxiety attacks caused by a certain event, such attacks will only pass away gradually if the situation is removed or resolved. However, there’s also a possibility that panic attacks may take place for no apparent notice or for unknown reasons at all. Anxiety attacks also appear to run within the families. To some individuals, the said attacks may be inherited from their parents. And others may experience this panic attacks due to malfunctions or abnormality of the brain which triggers a fight or flight body reaction that occurs with no reason.

SYMPTOMS

Symptoms of panic or anxiety attacks include chest tightness or pain, a fast pounding heart, dizziness, prolific sweating, body tremors, faintness, facial and skin flushing and numbness or tingling of hands. One may also experience stomach cramps and he may also feel nauseated. Difficulty in swallowing, feeling of chilled and difficulty to breathe are also another symptom of this.

FEAR OF ANXIETY ATTACKS

Individuals who suffer from anxiety attacks is more likely to develop fear of experiencing another anxiety attack. However, fear of repeated attacks actually triggers and causes more panic or anxiety attacks. It may also develop into phobias if no proper diagnosis is being applied.

PANIC OR ANXIETY DISORDER

People who regularly suffer from anxiety attacks may develop panic or anxiety disorder and this usually occurs in most women. The attacks commonly set in between late teen’s years and somehow at early thirties. Others may develop this kind of condition after a traumatic or life-changing event like death, an accident or after a physical or an enduring sexual abuse. This becomes disabling for individuals who develop public fear or feeling scared in certain situations or events because they are afraid that they might experience another attack.

TREATMENT

Diagnosis for anxiety attacks can be very difficult because most individuals who suffer from anxiety attacks consider themselves as someone who is physically and mentally weak and they might also believe that they have heart problems. Because of this, a sufferer might get into thinking that they need to call for emergency services and see multiple doctors for medical assistance as well. Oftentimes, panic or anxiety disorder is associated by severe depression, drug abuse and alcohol addiction. Sufferers from panic disorder may be treated by taking a well prescribed medication and through psychotherapy.