Panic Attacks Disorder

Panic and Anxiety attacks are terms that are swapped about so much that most people regard them as them same condition. Panic and anxiety attacks are a closely related phenomena, and the symptoms of a panic attack may include problems with breathing.

Panic and Anxiety attacks can be horrifying experiences and are much more common place than the person who suffers from them thinks. Depending on what research you read they either strike more than 10 million people or affect as many as 15% of all adults. Whichever number is looked at. I am sure you will agree with me that this problem that effects women more than men is massive.

Anxiety and Panic disorders becomes classified as a mental illness when the condition causes enough distress to reduce ones ability to function socially, occupationally, or psychologically. During a panic attack, unless you were medically educated, you might think you were having a heart attack, or some other form of medical crisis. Although when they get to this level they are both considered psychiatric conditions, they can be the easiest of all to treat and in most cases are highly treatable. Anxiety and panic attacks are an emotional and physical reaction to a threat, whether that threat is real or perceived. The attacks are often associated with shallow, rapid patterns of breathing and can respond to muscle relaxation techniques and breathing exercises that form a part of many complementary therapies.

It doesn’t matter from what walk of life you come from anxiety and panic attacks are non discriminatory and they appear in situations where your usual skills and talents seem to make no difference, so telling yourself to calm down, doesn’t work that well. The attacks seem to be self-perpetuating and they need prompt and effective intervention. Although anxiety and panic attacks are similar, panic attacks are more high pitched than anxiety.

Anxiety and panic attacks are very frightening and very real to the person suffering the attack and no matter what anybody says they are medical conditions as real to the person as if they were suffering from heart disease. Although they are very scary once you stop letting the fears take over, you’ll feel more in control. This is the first stage in getting better. You may be particularly vulnerable to anxiety and panic attacks if you are suffering from medical conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, severe pain or medical obesity.

Symptoms can include but are not limited to are: Rapid heart beat, palpitations (awareness of your heart beating), raised blood pressure feeling of tightness in the chest, breathlessness and hyperventilation (rapid, shallow breathing) sweating, pallor, chest pains, feelings of light-headedness and dizziness. Shaking and trembling pins and needles (caused by hyperventilation) usually in hands or feet. Feeling of intense fear and/or impending doom headaches and muscular aches and pains. Insomnia, irritability, nightmares fatigue digestive disturbances, e.g.nausea and/or vomiting, abdominal pain anddiarrhoea. Feeling cut off from yourself and other people, fear of dying, desensitization, depersonalization, feeling of unreality, depression, numbness and difficulty falling or staying asleep. symptoms of panic attacks, feelings of unreality, bodily sensations, body muscles, nausea and diarrhoea, natural instinct, flight reaction, derealisation, muscle tension, abdominal distress, tightness in chest, pounding heart,

Anxiety and panic attacks are a relatively short period of very intense fear and can start with an unpleasant feeling in the throat and a sudden shortness of breath. Anxiety and panic attacks usually last for 10 minutes but more severe attacks may last up to two hours. They may be part of an underlying anxiety disorder such as phobias (irrational fear of, for example, crowds or open spaces), obsessive compulsive disorder (recurrent thoughts and repetitive behaviour), post-traumatic stress, depression or other psychological problems. Or anxiety can come about as a result of pressure at work, in school, at home or even when having a major event or change in your life like death of loved one or divorce.

Anxiety and panic attacks are disorders and although you might be able to put a quick fix together during attacks it is important that you find treatment to free yourself from this disorder and eliminate anxiety and panic attacks permanently. Anxiety medication may not work as it may mask the symptoms and when you stop taking the medication the attacks generally flare back up again. Ultimately because anxiety medication is superficial, it doesn’t treat the root cause of your anxiety.



By: Rachel Harding

About the Author:

JessicaRoss asked:


i get panic attacks from spiders and such

i just passed by a wall, and when i came back i just noticed that there is a HUGE spider hanging right in front of it. and a smaller one in the corner.

i had a huge panic attack last weekend by two spiders as well, but i was alone. now, im in my brothers room and he and his cousin are downstairs and my aunts room is next door. i dont wanna have a panic attack but i already can feel my heart pounding much faster.

what to do?

GossipGirly asked:


I would like to know an array of symptoms of a panic attack. ive recently been diagnosed with it.

 

One of the biggest problems of panic disorder is that it can take place at anytime and anywhere. A panic disorder sufferer is never going to know in advance when the next attack is going to occur. This factor itself is a great cause of worry for people suffering from panic attacks.

 

It can happen when they are at home. It can happen when they attending an important meeting. It can happen when they have already fallen asleep. It can even happen when they are driving on the road.

 

Due to the unpredictability of the panic attack, it has greatly affected the quality of life for people suffering from panic disorder. Some of them may be so afraid of the embarrassment from the next attack; that they decided to quit their jobs and choose to stay at home instead.

 

Usually, a panic attack can last up to 10 minutes or less. However, there are also attacks that can last much longer than that.

 

Around 6 millions American adults are said to be inflicted with panic attack. It seems to be more common in women than in men. However, it is to be noted that not all people who experience a panic attack has a panic disorder, although the term panic attack and panic disorder may be used quite interchangeably by the general public.

 

Perhaps, the following illustration will give you a better understanding of the difference between a panic attack and a panic disorder.

 

Perhaps, you have an extreme fear of public speaking. So, if you know you are going to speak, a panic attack will occur. However, this does not mean you have panic disorder. In this particular example, you know exactly when the attack is going to occur – before your speech. Therefore, you are not worried about when the panic attack is going to occur. You are more worried about your speech.

 

For people with panic disorder, the panic attacks can happen at anytime and anywhere. They can’t predict it. They always worried about when the next attack is going to happen.

 

 



By: Andyl James

About the Author:

Luke K asked:


What is the best way to get rid of a panic attack?