An anxiety attack will normally last for around ten minutes, but some people seem to suffer them for as long as an hour at a time. You would probably be surprised to know that research indicates that as high as one out of every 75 of the population worldwide has or will suffer an anxiety attack at some time in their lives.

Anxiety attacks can provoke a really strong urge in the person who is suffering, to run away or escape from where the attack began – it can be linked with chest pain, shortness of breath, and even a feeling of impending doom. Many people that suffer with anxiety attacks say that they feel as though they are dying, losing control of their emotions and their behavior, or going crazy.

If a person has a particular phobia, then they will often experience anxiety and/or panic attacks. These will usually be over quickly, as soon as whatever triggered it is removed.

When suffering with chronic anxiety, then one anxiety attack can quickly follow another which will lead to nervous fatigue over a short period of time.

Anxiety attack symptoms include:

Heartbeat pounding and fast,
Dizziness, nausea and general lightheadedness,
Excessive sweating,
Breathing Difficulties,
Numbness or tingling around the face,
Dreamlike sensations,
A feeling of not being connected to your body and time.
Fear that you are losing control and are doing something that would embarrass you.
Strong feeling of impending doom,
Tearfullness associated with some or all of the above symptoms.

An anxiety attack will often follow a pattern, with a sudden onset of fear, which leads to a release of adrenaline and causes the want to run (your body prepares for some major physical activity with the release of adrenaline).  The effect of this is to give you an increased heart rate, hyperventilation or labored breathing and sweating.

As the physical activity your body was expecting does not happen, the hyperventilation will lead to the carbon dioxide levels lowering in your lungs, then in your blood. This will in turn lead to the shift in the pH of your blood, leading to many of the other anxiety attack symptoms such as lightheadedness, dizziness and tingling.

Anxiety attacks can cause a real problem for the person that suffers with them and it is always worth a visit to your doctor, firstly to confirm that you are in fact having anxiety attacks, and secondly to obtain medication and/or cournselling to help you.

One great program for learning to deal with anxiety attacks, can be found here. This combines several ways of dealing with anxiety and panic and at the moment is available with a 50% discount.

Panic attack treatment usually consists of two types of therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral therapy or Pharmacological therapy and in some cases a combination of both.
Cognitive- behavioral therapy coaches panic attack sufferers to predict and anticipate the situations or emotions which trigger and produce their panic attacks.
The premise here is, if the patient is aware of when, who, why or where their attacks are most likely to occur they can plan ahead and take proactive measures to control their attacks. This type of panic attack treatment can be quite successful when dealing with sufferers whose attacks are mild and associated with social situations or actions.

For example, if a patient has suffered an attack when they were unable to catch their morning bus, the possibility of it happening again can lead to further attacks and can keep the person from leaving their house. Through cognitive-behavioral therapy the patient will be shown how to avoid such situations, by planning ahead and avoiding the situation all together. They would be able to anticipate the possibility of missing the bus and be sure to bring enough money for a cab ride.
Pharmacological Therapy is an alternative term used for panic attack treatment which involves medication. There are many prescription medications which are commonly prescribed to control or eliminate panic attacks.

Anti depressants such as tricyclics, monoamine inhibitors or serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the medications which are most commonly prescribed as a panic attack treatment. They are also used due to the fact that most individuals experience symptoms of depression as well as their panic disorder.

Any pharmacological therapy should be conducted by a psychiatrist, or therapist who is fully experienced in panic disorder treatment. These professionals will approach the prescription dosage, by starting at a minimal amount and gradually increasing the patients’ intake until the symptoms are eliminated. This can be hard for some panic disorder patients who are eager to find an immediate cure or guaranteed treatment.

For more information on panic disorders and panic attack treatment visit Panic Away.

Low Stress Response: Some doctors have found in recent studies that individuals who suffer from panic disorders or have severe panic attacks may have an imbalance or low tolerance of the body’s natural stress response. In laymen’s terms, their biological alarm turns on and stays on, with little or no provocation.

This same research shows that these same individuals may not be able to produce enough of the body’s naturally produced anxiety-reducing substances. This inability can lead to inappropriate emotions such as fear and terror developing over ordinary every day occurrences.

Genetics: Some specialists also believe that genetics could be the leader in panic attack causes. Some panic disorders have been proven to be passed from father to daughter or mother to son similar to other psychological disorders such as addiction and depression.

Traumatic Association: Some panic attack causes are quite specific and are generally caused by repetitive events or circumstances. For example, if a person suffers a panic attack while on a plane, they then associate flying with the horrible feelings of a panic attack and as a result become nervous or fearful fliers. These panic attack causes are generally the easiest to treat through cognitive therapy and psychological treatment.

If you are suffering from a panic disorder and want to discover your own personal panic attack causes, call your family doctor and explain your symptoms. Panic disorders are very common and are nothing to be ashamed of. If you would like more information about panic disorders before speaking to a professional, check this out.  The answers to your questions may be easier to find than you think.

It is true that not all of life’s stresses can be reduced, but there are a lot which can be worked on and improved over time with the proper approach and commitment. This is especially true for stresses surrounding your professional life. Many people who are dealing with panic attacks will list office responsibilities and deadlines as two of their most common panic attack triggers.

By taking precautionary measures and using simple planning techniques these triggers can be controlled and your panic attacks reduced. Some specialists suggest that people who suffer regular job related anxiety should do as much as they can to surround themselves with objects, textures and even other people who tend to have a calming effect.

This can be anything, from the addition of desk-top plant, to regular coffee breaks and conversation with a close and trusted friend. Many therapists also suggest that people dealing with panic attacks should avoid driving to and from work. They believe the fresh air while bicycling or walking can produce a lower stress level to begin or end the day.

Dealing with anxiety attacks which are triggered by personal situations are believed to be harder to control and ultimately eliminate. Some people who suffer from panic disorders or other anxiety issues feel the only way to achieve any relief is to avoid the situations, people or surroundings which they feel are triggers.
This can lead to further psychological issues such as anti-socialism, isolation or in extreme cases agoraphobia. Therapists who are treating these types of cases will often include both the sufferer and their families as part of the treatment.

They will also teach their patients simple tricks such as asking questions when in an awkward silence, or choosing the right people to speak to while in a group of strangers.

Dealing with panic attacks or anxiety attacks is not easy, but it is important to remember that it is harder when you try to do it on your own. If you feel that you need help to reduce the amount of stress and anxiety in your life, open up to your friends and family.

Having a support group which you can lean on and trust may be all you need to move towards happier, brighter days.

Panic Disorder.
A person suffering with severe Panic disorder can be affected by feelings of intense fear any time, any place, without warning. The physical anxiety disorder symptoms associated with Panic disorders include heart palpitations, chest pain, trouble breathing, nausea, dizziness, abdominal discomfort, and disconnection with reality and even a strong belief of impending death or doom.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
OCD is one of the most common forms of anxiety disorders, and unfortunately is the disorder with the highest reports of misdiagnosis. A person suffering with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder will suffer with reoccurring thoughts, actions or behaviors which they feel are uncontrollable and next to impossible to stop. The physical anxiety disorder symptoms associated with OCD can range depending on severity but will commonly include shaking, repetitive speech, intense need to wash hands and face, and an abnormally decreased or increased appetite.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
The anxiety disorder symptoms related to Post Traumatic Stress disorder can be incredibly difficult for both the sufferer and their families. This disorder is caused by experiencing a traumatic or life threatening event such as war, child abuse, natural disasters or even rape. The physical symptoms are usually not as recognizable as those of a psychological nature. For example most sufferers will experience extreme night terrors, irritability, emotional unresponsiveness and insomnia.

Phobia
For the most part there are two common types of phobias. One is social phobias where the sufferer will avoid social experiences due to fear of humiliation, embarrassment or scrutiny. The other is specific phobias such as arachnophobia (the fear of spiders) or agoraphobia (the fear of open spaces). The anxiety disorder symptoms associated with phobias usually include shortness of breath, avoidance, self isolation and sweating.