When humans began to evolve they developed an instinct for danger. This response made their bodies get ready to fight for survival or run away until they were in a position that would aid their living. This state is called a fight or flight reaction. That emotional state has survived into our present day lives. However the feelings that arise from this can lead to panic attacks as our bodies have no way of getting rid of the excess adrenaline that is present because of the fight or flight response.

What is panic attacks? Panic attacks are marked by persistent and chronic condition of fear and dread. Feeling of fear is itself a natural emotion, however, panic attacks cause fear that is exaggerated and overwhelming that can be provoked in absence of any dangers or threats at all. The attacks cannot be explained in terms of its cause that is, production of adrenaline and changes in hormones that accelerate the body functioning to deal with danger as there are no rational reasons for the occurrence of panic attacks at all. The impact of the attack is severe and hardly anything can stop it from happening.

The physical symptoms of panic attacks include abdominal distress, shortness of breath, trembling and shaking, nausea and diarrhea, muscle tension and usually accompanied by pounding heart, sweatiness and faintness. During these attacks, the people may feel chilled or weak and they may experience tightness in chest and smothering sensations. They may also suffer derealisation and depersonalization the feelings of unreality and detachment from oneself, fear of losing control or going insane, paresthesias (numbness sensations) and fear of dying.

When a person experiences or perceives a dangerous or risky encounter, the above symptoms are stimulated. However, panic attacks hit a person under no apparent threats or dangers in an intense manner physically and mentally. The chain reaction of fearful thoughts, escalating physical responses and feelings of terror and desperation are all underway. This can happen at anytime and any place in the absence of any stimuli even when a person is sleeping at night.

Panic attacks cannot or difficult to stop when it attacks and they normally happen without any potential signals or predictions. This is because the excessive level of hormones imbalances and adrenalines that flood the body and muscles causes such extreme terror and desperation that are so beyond the grasp of the actual situation. It is therefore not only necessary but compulsory to attempt to control the exaggerated emotions of fear using different appropriate means of treatments.

The suffering of panic attacks is very dreadful and agonizing according to many victims of the panic attacks. The feelings of extreme fear and overwhelming terror are very intense that they feel like eternity once the attack starts to kick in.

For those of us who live normal lives terror is but a fleeting emotion. A person who has panic attacks relives this fear constantly every day. The only way out of this maze is treatment and if you suffer from panic attacks be assured that there are many viable treatment methods out there and that with a little time and effort on your part you should be able to cure your panic attacks without too much hassle.