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[A601]Anxiety Disorder And Panic Attacks

by Robert Hills, Rob

Anxiety disorder is a condition that puts a person in a constant state of alertness and fear. Anxiety is otherwise a normal reaction to stress that people commonly experience at various points in their lives. Generally speaking, anxiety helps people to cope with difficult situations until they are resolved (tense situations at work, harder studying for an exam, focusing on an important speech…).

However, for about one in every twelve people anxiety is so persistent and severe that it creates serious problems. Anxious feelings may be so uncomfortable that result in avoiding everyday activities and can escalate into anxiety and panic disorders such as panic attacks.

Panic attacks are episodes of intense fear or anxiety that comes without warning and without any obvious reason. They are far more intense than just having a feeling of being stressed out which most people experience. Panic attack happens suddenly and can be particularly debilitating because they can occur at any time, even during sleep. Many people (about one-third) who suffer from panic disorder often become agoraphobic.

Agoraphobia is the abnormal fear of being in a situation where one might experience anxiety or panic attack. People suffering from agoraphobia may experience severe panic attacks in situations where they feel trapped, out of control, or too far from their personal comfort zone or an area where they have control of their environment. Agoraphobia is a debilitating condition that can bring fear, shame and isolation to those who suffer from it.

Symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks?

Symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks can include pounding heart, a sense of suffocation, nausea, dizziness, sweating, disorganized thinking, migraine headaches, hyperventilation, breathing difficulties, tightening throat, chest pain, shaking and trembling, depersonalisation, fear of losing control, fear of dying and many more. Beyond anxiety and panic attacks themselves, a key symptom is also the persistent fear of having future panic attacks.

Panic attacks are usually brief, lasting less than ten minutes. Although the exact causes of these disorders are not fully known, studies have shown that a combination of biological and environmental factors may be involved. In many people, the symptoms develop in association with major life changes (like getting married, having a child, starting a new job, etc.) and major lifestyle stressors.

Why so many people today suffer from anxiety and panic attacks is also partially due to our high-stress modern society.

Anxiety disorders are by and large the most frequently occurring mental disorders in today's world. When most of us become anxious we tend to feel tense, uncomfortable, and upset. Anxiety disorders are a group of mental illnesses that is characterized by constant feelings of high anxiety, and extreme tension and discomfort. Most of the times, the anxiety disorders in most individuals go unnoticed, but when it becomes severe, people get into a state of confusion. Their daily life is hampered and they can't do the things the way they normally do.

Anxiety disorder is spreading is wings in almost one in 20 people. Such is its effect. it generally begins at an early childhood and becomes worst in adulthood. Most common symptoms of anxiety disorders are as follows:
* Palpitations
* Breathlessness
* Trembling
* Feeling of chocking
* Sweating
* Abdominal distress
* Dizziness

Anxiety disorders tend to hamper the senses of the person. If they are not checked at the right time, then they might lead to some undesirable consequences. They can completely ruin the professional as well as personal life. Anxiety disorders are categorized into generalized anxiety disorder, specific phobia, and social phobia.

The main characteristics of generalized anxiety disorder are the unrealistic, uncontrollable, and excessive worry about day-to-day things such as money, health, family, friends or career. Phobias are intense fears of particular situations or objects. These phobias may include the fear for dogs, cats, snakes, heights, closed spaces, spiders and so on. The person is absolutely normal if he or she is not in front of the feared object or situation. However, when the feared object comes in front of that individual, he or she becomes highly anxious and experiences a panic attack.

When people experience a panic attack, they feel as if they are about to die. Others feel as if they are getting suffocated and in some extreme cases they feel as if they are having a heart attack. The first time you get a panic attack, you will be totally confused and you will not be able to distinguish it from a heart attack or some other ailment. So, it is advisable to meet your medical professional as soon as possible. Because the panic attacks mimic many types of ailments, the medical professional may perform a thorough physical examination.

You will have to answer a series of questions when you first go to the doctor. This would be regarding your medical history and your health status. Tell him if you have ever undergone a surgery or an operation. Carry with you all the details and reports of the pasts results and tests.

The doctor might want to know if you are currently taking any other medication, before prescribing the panic medication. You will have to get a head-to-toe check up done. This is mainly done to know if all the body organs are functioning properly. Generally urine tests, blood tests, X-rays, CT scans, and drug screens are also done.

If the doctor feels that the symptoms do not match the symptoms of normal panic attacks, he might ask you to see a neurologist. A neurologist is a professional who is a specialist with the nervous system and its associated disorders.

Counseling is another aspect of understanding the mental condition of the patient. The doctors might want to take the help of psychiatrist or a therapist so as to shed some light on to the triggers of panic attacks. The psychiatrist or a therapist might tell the patients some tips to cope up with the panic attacks. The best thing to do is self-help. However, the person should be aware about the panic attacks. all that you need is proper treatment and the right guidance to cure panic attacks.

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About Author

Both Robert Hills & Beth Kaminski are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Robert Hills has sinced written about articles on various topics from Cure Anxiety, Cars and Skin Care. To learn more about anxiety and how to eliminate anxiety disorders and panic attacks from your life, visit: How To Eliminate