One of the characteristics of an anxiety attack is a conviction in the person experiencing the anxiety that they are facing some sort of imminent health emergency. A person having an anxiety or panic attack will often rush themselves to a medical care facility, an emergency room in many cases, in the belief that they are on the verge of death or severe incapacitation. People who suffer anxiety attacks will also often become defensive at any suggestion that the symptoms they're experiencing aren't serious.
It's not entirely unreasonable that someone having an anxiety attack would believe they're in the midst of a serious health crisis. There is some overlap between the symptoms of an anxiety attack and the symptoms of some serious health conditions. Symptoms of an anxiety attack can be similar to heart attack symptoms, for instance. Some of the symptoms of a heart attack are chest tightness and tingling in the extremities. During an anxiety attack, a person's chest can feel tight, and their extremities can feel numb and tingly.
A person suffering a stroke can feel a sense of disorientation and can have balance difficulty. It's not uncommon for a person to feel disoriented or wobbly during an anxiety attack. Of course, obviously, an anxiety attack is not a stroke, and an anxiety attack is not a heart attack. There is mix up between anxiety attacks and heart attacks and anxiety attacks and stroke however. You could find at virtually any time someone in an emergency room someplace who believes they're facing a serious health crisis, but who's actually having an anxiety attack.
One method for determining whether symptoms are actually an anxiety attack is to consider what was happening before symptoms began. If agitation or upset preceded the onset of symptoms, an anxiety attack might be the cause. A person can additionally consider their own physical background. The notion that someone in their twenties or thirties is having a heart attack or a stroke is dubious, unless that person is either extremely overweight or has recently used a narcotic. On the other hand, someone who's in their fifties or older who isn't in good physical condition should consider chest pains or disorientation to be a potentially serious matter.
It's sensible to have unusual symptoms medically checked over. What is not healthy however is to be physically cleared yet continue to seek medical care because of perceived symptoms. The person who thinks himself or herself ill in the face of direct evidence to the contrary is displaying classic symptoms of anxiety or some other emotional disorder.
Symptoms Of An Anxiety
Many people who have had to deal with an anxiety attack, will quickly be able to recognize the physical symptoms associated with this condition. The first sign that you are having attack will be when you start to breath much more heavily, plus you begin to sweat. Other physical symptoms of an attack, include chest pains, numbness to the bodies extremities and they shake uncontrollably. When a person is having an attack they may find that they only suffer from one or two of the physical symptoms of an anxiety attack, whilst others will suffer from all of those that we have mentioned.
When someone is suffering an anxiety attack for the first time they will often reach for the phone to call for an ambulance as they feel that they may be having a heart attack. But even when they reach hospital and have been told what the problem is they often find that being in a hospital environment helps them to cope and deal with the attack much more easily. Yet for those who suffer from chronic anxiety they will have been shown ways in which they can actually alleviate the symptoms associated with this disorder themselves.
It is thought that when a person has an anxiety attack it is their bodies natural survival response kicking in. This response has helped us to cope and survive with whatever challenges in life we have had to face. Normally an anxiety attack will occur when your body is instinctively responding to ensure that you survive.
Recent studies have shown that repeated panic attacks can increase a person's chances of suffering a stroke or heart attack in the future. People with a singular panic attack, but no history of anxiety disorder are not likely to suffer any heart damage or serious lasting effects.
It is not clear, however if the increased risk posed to regular sufferers is caused by the attacks or is merely related to them. Some doctors even argue that the medications prescribed for anxiety disorder put people at risk of cardiovascular events. Either way, a panic attack is a clear sign that something is not well, and the problem must be dealt with, not the symptoms.
Actually dealing with an attack is not as easy as one would first imagine. Although you doctor may be able to treat the symptoms for you the underlying causes may need you to actually look at yourself more closely. There are various different types of therapy available which can help you deal with the stress that is being placed upon you. One of the effective of these is cognitive behavorial therapy, which helps people to learn ways to alter their reaction when they find themselves in certain stressful situations.
Other ways in which people work at helping to bring their attacks under control is through the use of deep breathing exercises or more advanced relaxation techniques. They will often use these in collaboration with either aromatherapy, massage therapy or acupuncture treatments. However, it is important to remember that when it comes to treating the physical symptoms of an anxiety attack is not just simply of a case of you trying to think positively or cheering yourself up.
Anxiety is a real medical condition and must be treated as such. Hopefully, with careful attention, anyone can beat the crippling effects of anxiety.
Both Zinn Jeremiah & Kerris Samson 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.
Zinn Jeremiah has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pets, Fitness and Disease & illness. Zinn Jeremiah is a freelance writer. For anxiety help, visit or. Zinn Jeremiah's top article generates over 165000 views. to your Favourites.
Kerris Samson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Acne Treatment, Cure Anxiety and Fat Loss. Would you like to learn more about the physical symptoms of an anxiety attack including ways of recognizing them? Then please click here
