Symptoms of Anxiety Attacks

When you are in a stressful situation, it is perfectly normal to feel anxiety.  This is a normal response from your body.  However, when the body feels anxiety constantly, it can begin to interfere with your normal functioning and day to day living. 

There are certain signs and symptoms to look for if you think you may have anxiety disorder.  Here are some of the symptoms:

Physical symptoms include sweating, upset stomach, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, frequent urination or diarrhea, muscle tension, headaches, tremors or twitches, fatigue, insomnia, shortness of breath, and sweating.  Emotional symptoms include difficulty concentrating, feelings of dread or apprehension, irritability, feeling like your mind is blank, watching for danger signs, restlessness, anticipating the worst, and feeling jumpy or tense.

Anxiety and depression seem to go hand in hand.  Depression tends to make anxiety worse, and anxiety tends to make depression worse. 

Anxiety attacks or panic attacks are situations in which you feel extreme fear or panic.  They often occur suddenly and with no warning.  In some cases, there is an obvious trigger, but in other causes, the attack will come about with no obvious cause.  Typically these attacks will come about within ten minutes and do not usually last beyond thirty minutes.  During the attack, you may feel like you are dying or have lost control.  Some people even think that they have had a heart attack.  Once the attack is complete, often you will be anticipating the next one with dread. 

Some of the symptoms of a panic or anxiety attack include heart palpitations, chest pain, overwhelming panic, trouble breathing, a choking sensation, hot flashes, chills, hyperventilation, feeling detached or unreal, stomach cramps or nausea, trembling, shaking, and feeling like you will pass out. 

There are six major types of anxiety disorders.  They are generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, phobia, social anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is when you have unwanted behaviors or thoughts that you cannot seem to keep under control.  Often you may be experiencing obsessions or compulsions.  An example may be that all clothing must be organized in a particular manner, and if not, it will cause you tremendous stress.  People with OCD often find that they must go through particular routines daily. 

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is when you have worries or fears that are constant and you have a persistent feeling that something bad will happen.  You may worry all the time, but you may be unsure of what is causing you to feel worried.  You may have symptoms such as an upset stomach, insomnia, fatigue, and restlessness.

Panic Disorder is when you have repeated panic attacks as well as the fear that occurs between panic attacks in anticipation of those attacks.  Agoraphobia is another symptoms, which includes a fear of being in a place or situation in which you would not be able to escape or get help.  This causes you to avoid situations in which the panic may take over. 

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a disorder that is caused after a life-threatening or traumatic event.  Some of the symptoms of this disorder may include nightmares or flashbacks about what happened, being startled easily, hypervigilance, withdrawing socially, and avoiding situations. 

Phobias are exaggerated fears of an object, activity, or situation that really is not dangerous in any way.  Some phobias include fear of certain animals, fear of heights, or the fear of flying.  Many people will go to extreme lengths to escape their phobias. 

Social Anxiety Disorder is a fear of being seen in a negative manner by others and humiliated in public.  This is a social phobia, and can be considered severe shyness.  The most common of this disorder is stage fright.  Some of the psychological symptoms include intense worrying for days or even months before the social situation, extreme fear of judgment by your peers, self-consciousness, fear that others will see that you are nervous, and fear that you will embarrass or humiliate yourself. 

If the fears you have are causing you extreme distress, you need to seek professional help.  You should begin by getting a medical checkup by your physician.  Your doctor can determine if your anxiety is caused by a medical condition rather than a psychological one.  Additionally, some drugs can cause anxiety.  If there is no physical cause of your anxiety, your doctor can recommend a psychiatrist or therapist to work with you to determine the type of disorder you have. 

There are several anxiety disorder treatments available.  Cognitive behavior therapy focuses on the thoughts that occur during an episode of anxiety and how to deal with those thoughts in a more effective way.  Exposure therapy is when you are able to confront your fears in a controlled and safe environment.  The goal is to get your anxiety to diminish. 

Another treatment is medication.  Antidepressants and benzodiazepines are medications used for the treatment of anxiety disorders.  Often the medications are combined with behavioral therapy. 

While anxiety can be overwhelming to the point of panic for some, it is good to know that there are treatments options out there to improve your symptoms.