Got a Panic Attack Symptom

Got a Panic Attack Symptom?
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Richard_Keir]Richard Keir

Let's say that you have a lot of anxiety and maybe some odd feelings and you are wondering what is happening. You may have heard about anxiety and panic disorder and started to wonder if what you have is actually a panic attack symptom.

A lot of people do suffer panic disorders. Statistics show at least 6 million in the US alone will suffer from panic disorder and about 28 percent of the population will actually be formally diagnosed as having some type of anxiety disorder during their lives. Considering how many people do not ever get formally diagnosed, the incidence of serious anxiety problems is staggering.

Anxiety, of course, is actually a normal part of everyone's life. Everybody experiences anxiety at one time or another. Likewise many people may suffer a panic attack but never develop a panic disorder. A panic disorder is a specific type of anxiety disorder though it can eventually lead to additional anxiety disorders such as agoraphobia because of the fear of experiencing a panic attack. Depression can also result because of the terrible effects a panic disorder has on a person's life.

Anxiety can be seen as a negative experience of excitement related to the fight or flight response we have to challenging or dangerous situations. If you think carefully about the times you were very excited (in the positive sense) and compare some of the actual bodily sensations to those you experience when you are anxious, you will probably see some similarities.

As these reactions get stronger, they become increasingly more unpleasant and can create a cycle where they feed back on themselves and get worse. Panic attacks move this to the outer limits of human experience. In addition, a panic disorder is characterized by recurring panic attacks and more than a single anxiety panic attack symptom. You might view the anxiety continuum as a sort of progression from mild anxiety to severe anxiety to a panic attack to a full blown panic disorder. Other anxiety disorders are also extremely painful and some can have equally bad or even worse consequences than a panic disorder.

One very common panic attack symptom is a sense of 'impending doom' - a feeling that something truly awful, but unknown, is going to happen. A sense of extreme fear, but without a specific object, is also a common symptom. The other main anxiety panic attack symptoms are:

* Fear of dying

* Fear of losing control

* Feelings of unreality or detachment (or both)

* Chest pain or discomfort

* Pounding or racing heart

* Nausea or upset stomach

* Numbness or tingling

* Trembling or shaking

* Sweating, chills, or hot flashes

* Shortness of breath

* A feeling of choking

* Dizziness or feeling faint

Looking at this list you can see why people who do experience a panic attack become afraid that another will occur. While no one will die from a panic attack and despite the fact that they usually peak in about 10 minutes and then subside, they are terrifying and some of the systems may persist.

In general, a person must suffer at least 4 of those panic attack symptoms with recurring episodes for a diagnosis of panic disorder. It is quite possible to have some of these symptoms with other anxiety conditions or an anxiety attack rather than a panic attack. A further consideration is that there are no identifiable triggering events for a panic attack. They seem to appear out of nowhere. People then often attribute them to some situation and start to avoid the situation. In some cases they become unable to leave their homes or they may develop other phobias. In at least some other anxiety disorders, triggering elements can be identified.

If you even suspect that you have experienced an anxiety panic attack, you need to do something about it now. Don't wait and hope it will never happen again. The best - and easiest - way to deal with panic attacks is to do it as early as possible. You certainly don't want to wait until recurring episodes have begun to wreck your life. Making changes in your thinking and behavior to deal with a panic disorder are much easier at the beginning.

If you believe your symptoms indicate a panic disorder or if you want methods to deal with serious anxiety, take charge of your situation now and get more information and a solution to eliminate the pain and [http://all-herbal-remedies.com/treating-panic-disorders.html]stop a panic attack from damaging your life.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Keir http://EzineArticles.com/?Got-a-Panic-Attack-Symptom?&id=784376