Physical Symptoms Of An Anxiety Attack
If you’ve ever undergone one, you are certainly aware of the physical symptoms of anxiety attack. The signs consist of difficult, labored breathing, sweating, an aching in the chest, lack of feeling in the arms and legs and uncontrollable trembling. You can experience all or some of these warning signs along with many other signs that are not at all commonplace.
Undergoing physical symptoms of an anxiety attack often feel like a heart attack or complete nervous breakdown. Often, those suffering from an attack call emergency services and are rushed to a hospital because they are convinced they are in the middle of a serious medical emergency. While not strictly necessary, there are advantages to having nurses and doctors available during the course of the attack. Frequent victims of anxiety need their own coping mechanisms to help them survive a scary attack.
A full anxiety attack is linked with the fight or flight reaction to some external experience. The fight or flight response is seen in most animals, including humans. In humans it is caused by the release of hormones, primarily adrenaline and cortisol. This survival response creates an energy rush, sensitivity to the immediate surrounds, and increased aggressiveness, which helps the individual to escape a dangerous situation or defend itself. In the case of anxiety attacks, the body bears the brunt of the rush of stress hormones without any immediate external cause responsible, hence the physical symptoms of an anxiety attack ensue.
Studies have shown that a person has a greater chance of suffering a future heart attack or stroke if they suffer repeated physical symptoms of an anxiety attack. Individuals who experience only a single anxiety or panic attack are not any more or less likely to suffer future heart attacks or stroke. It not clear of the increased risk posed by regular panic attacks is a result of the attacks or just related to them.
According to some doctors, there is an increased incidence of cardiovascular issues in people who take prescription medications for anxiety disorder. Regardless of how valid this correlation is, a panic attack indicates that there is a serious problem present, which must be addressed instead of just treating the physical symptoms of anxiety attacks.
It is difficult to deal with or treat the physical symptoms of an anxiety attack. The symptoms are treatable but the underlying causes are psychological and embedded within the person’s psyche. Different therapies have been developed to delve into the psychological traits that cause stress in a person, which manifests as an anxiety attack. One such effective therapy is cognitive behavioral therapy which uses a subject’s own willpower to fashion responses to any stressful situation that he or she may encounter.
Some individuals do deep breathing exercises or practice more complex methods of relaxation along with aromatherapy, acupuncture or massage treatment. Regardless of what others think, taking care of the physical symptoms of anxiety attack is not as easy as simply lightening up or thinking calming thoughts. Anxiety is a bona fide medical condition and has to be dealt with as such. With any luck and by remaining vigilant, anybody can overcome the devastating effects of anxiety.
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