Anxiety Attack Symptoms

Panic attacks are sudden feelings of fear that strike without warning. These episodes can happen at any time, even throughout sleep. A person encounter a panic attack may believe that he or she is having a heart attack or that death is imminent. The nervousness and terror that a person face during a panic attack are not in proportion to the true situation and may be unrelated to what is happening around them. Most people suffered with panic attacks face several of the following symptoms such as:

• "Racing" heart
• Feeling weak, faint, or dizzy
• Tingling or numbness in the hands and fingers
• Sense of terror, of impending doom or death
• Feeling sweaty or having chills
• Chest pains
• Breathing difficulties
• Feeling a loss of control

Panic attacks are generally concise, lasting less than ten minutes, although some of the symptoms may persist for a longer time. People who have faced one panic attack are at greater risk for having subsequent panic attacks than those who have never experienced a panic attack. When the attacks happen repeatedly, a person is considered to have a condition named Panic Disorder.

People with panic disorder can be extremely concerned and fearful, since they are unable to predict when the next episode will occur. Panic Disorder is fairly universal and affects about 2.4 million people in the U.S., or 1.7% of the adult population between the ages of 18 and 54. Women are twice as likely as men to increase the inferior condition, and its symptoms usually commence in early adulthood.

It is not obvious what causes Panic Disorder. In many people, its symptoms develop in connection with major life changes (such as getting married, having a child, starting a first job, etc.) and major lifestyle stressors. There is also some proof that suggests that the tendency to develop Panic Disorder may run in families. People who suffer from Panic Disorder are also much potential than others to suffer from depression, attempt suicide, or to misuse alcohol or drugs.

Fortunately for sufferers of frequent panic attacks, Panic Disorder is a treatable status. Psychotherapy and medications have both been performed, either singly or in grouping, for successful treatment of Panic Disorder. If drug is necessary, your doctor may refer anti-anxiety medications, antidepressants or a class of heart medications named as beta blockers to assist control the episodes in Panic Disorder.

Anxiety and Panic

Panic attacks are chronic periods of fear or feelings of doom developing over a very short time frame -- up to 10 minutes -- and associated with at least four of the following:

• Sudden overwhelming fear
• Palpitations
• Sweating
• Trembling
• Shortness of breath
• Sense of choking
• Chest pain
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• A feeling of being detached from the world
• Fear of dying
• Numbness or tingling in the limbs or entire body
• Chills or hot flushes

Panic attacks and panic disorders are not the same thing. All panic disorders have panic attacks as a sign. But not all panic attacks are a part of panic disorder. There are other conditions that have panic attacks as a sign. Some of those consist:

• Mitral valve prolapsed
• Hypoglycemia
• Hyperthyroidism
• Heart attacks
• Social phobia
• Agoraphobia