Everyone worries, gets nervous and concerned, feels certain fears, and experiences apprehensions. To a certain degree, anxiousness is healthy as it enables the body to react to certain stimuli and take into action or perform better. As long as the feeling is relative to the situation or problem at hand, it is normal. However, when anxiety gets severe, chronic and irrational, you might already have an anxiety disorder and experience episodes of anxiety attacks.

Common symptoms include:

Fear of going crazy

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What can be the cause of Panic Attacks?

Well panic attacks are caused out of nowhere. So we ask ouselves, what is the root cause of panic attacks? One moment you’re fine, the next you’re shaking and crying. Yet many patients fail to realize that the panic attack does not just happen out of nowhere. Thus, many patients fail to know that panic attacks are result of just nowhere. Frequently, the attack is triggered, by a certain stimulus. It can be just anything like smell, a specific person or even a place. Whatever it is understanding cause of panic attacks to prevent them.

The particular triggers or cause of panic attacks can be either internal or external. Internal causes of panic attacks are memories, feelings, certain thoughts, and physical sensations like headaches. While external causes of panic attacks include sudden changes in lighting, temperature, or sound level, strange smells or sounds, and certain places.

However why should a certain smell or taste cause a panic attack? Try Think of a person having peanut allergy. Also, a normal person’s body or immune system does not react to the peanuts in anyways. However, the allergic individual’s immune system is hypersensitive, and reacts as if peanuts were deadly poison. In the same way, a person having sensitive nervous system or inheritance to peanuts reacts with the peanut consumption in a panic way.
What makes this happen? Now suppose your trigger is a texture of linen. You are travelling and happen to spend a night at motel. You get to slip into the bed of linen sheets. For some reasons, you start sweating. You are in no mood to have any other panic attack. The fear begins to crawl until your attack gets mature.

HOW TO GET AWAY FROM TRIGGERS AND THINGS THAT CAUSE PANIC ATTACKS :

In an ideal world, you want to avoid your triggers. If you stay away from triggers, you can prevent panic attacks. In the linen matter, you can substitute other fabrics. And, if you are allergic to sensitive lights then stop moving to dance clubs. Some little changes can make your upcoming life safe and secure.

FACE UP TO YOUR TRIGGERS :

There are times when you wish to avoid panic attacks or its other causes, but they are just unavoidable. Like it is difficult to avoid the smell of cigarettes as it’s not in our control to stop someone’s smoking habit. Thus, some patients try to accustom themselves to the trigger, by repeated exposing themselves to the unpleasant stimulus.

I know that you would be anxious to try so, and why not? Nobody wants to have a panic attack on purpose. Anyways getting used to your triggers can help you to prevent panic attacks in long run. Like persons suffering from phobias do expose themselves to the kind of fear. Initially they are face to some kind of threat but slowly they lose their fears.

Remember it is important to always contact a doctor or psychiatrist before confronting your panic attacks or its cause. They have some long or short run triggers and exercise that helps you to fight with your triggers. If you are a heart patient, then it is not worth for you.
For the best way, it is always advisable to increase the exposure gradually. Do not worry if initially you do not succeed in fighting your panic. . It is fine as everything needs time to heal.

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Experiencing a panic attack for the first time can be diStressing not only because of the actual experience during the attack but also because you tend to develop fear of future attacks. Also known as anticipatory anxiety, fear of future attacks causes continuous fear and tension disabling you to relax. Often when the condition is not addressed, it will lead to phobic avoidance wherein you avoid places, situations, gatherings, and events where emergency help is not readily available or where having an attack can be embarrassing.

Take into extreme, this condition may lead to agoraphobia where you begin to avoid much of the activities you usually do. To avoid this, consider the following advices:

1. Consult your medical doctor. Symptoms attributed to panic attacks such racing heart, chest pain, heavy breathing, profuse sweating, agitation, etc., are also common to other physiological and psychological conditions. Seeking for proper diagnosis from your doctor, therefore, will rule out any cause unrelated to anxiety. Tell him your symptoms, when did the attack happen, and how intense the attack was. Your doctor will ask about your past medical history and may run some tests (e.g. urine test, blood test, drug screens, etc.).

2. See a therapist who is properly trained to handle such psychological condition. No, you are not crazy (people who go to a therapist are not crazy). The reason why you have to see a therapist is to process your emotion and prevent future attacks. Do not wait too long to seek help. Left untreated, a panic attack can lead to more severe conditions. Your therapist may subject you to cognitive-behavioral therapy and exposure therapy to process your thoughts.

3. Find the cause of the attack. Some cases of panic attacks may show a “pattern”

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Anxiety attacks choose no one. It can happen to happy and perfectly normal people of all ages including children. Many cases of anxiety attacks just come out of the blue, or happen without any logical, clear or apparent reason. It may occur while you are relaxed during the day and even while asleep. Still, there are several ways on how to prevent anxiety attacks.

Learn about anxiety

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The cause of panic attacks is still not fully understood. What is known is that it can happen to anyone, without any reason, regardless of age. Meaning, a happy and healthy person has an equal chance of experiencing a panic attack with those who are depressed and unhealthy. An episode of panic attack chooses no time. It can happen while you are at home, sitting on your couch, watching television, while driving, shopping or walking, at the office, etc. It can even happen while you are asleep.

Given such circumstances, methods of treatment may vary from person to person, depending on his conditions, symptoms, lifestyle, and frequency of attacks. Typically however, treatment involves psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and/or medication. Other treatments that can be employed are meditation, breathing exercises, relaxation techniques and herbal treatment.

Anti-anxiety medications such as Ativan, Xanax and Klonopin provide quick relief from the symptoms panic attack. Benzodiazepines have immediate effects, usually within 30 minutes to an hour. Benzodiazepines, however, are highly addictive and have some serious withdrawal symptoms. Anti-depressant drugs (Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, and Celexa) should be taken continuously before you can begin to notice the effects, usually up to 6 months to a year. You cannot take anti-depressant drugs just during an attack.

In addition, since you cannot anticipate when you will have such attack, only those who are diagnosed with panic disorder (or recurring panic attacks) can acquire these types of drug.

Panic attacks, as well as panic disorder, agoraphobia and other phobias and related conditions can be treated effectively by psychotherapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is proven as an effective way to reduce the symptoms of panic attacks or completely eliminate the condition. CBT focuses on changing the thinking pattern of the person from negative to positive thoughts as well as changing the way a person reacts or behaves when he encounters emergency or situations that can trigger an attack.

Another treatment similar to CTB that is worth mentioning is exposure therapy. This helps the person overcome his fear by letting him face those fearful situations in a controlled and safe manner. The result of this technique is that the person learns how to react positively on what he thinks are fearful situations. Moreover, through this experience, the patient learns that the situations he fears are not harmful and dangerous.

In many cases, medication alone or therapy alone is enough to completely treat the condition, but other cases require both treatment methods to effectively treat panic disorder.

Meditation, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques have been found effective in reducing the chances of experiencing another attack. They help calm the mind and relax the muscles. Regularly practicing these exercises and techniques strengthen the body’s relaxation response.

Natural herbs such as bacopin, ginkgo biloba, passion flower, St. John Wort, hyperforin, 5HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan), chamomile, rhodiola, are equally effective since they have natural anti-Stress properties. In some cases, using these herbs is sufficient enough to combat panic attacks. Many people also react positively using this kind of treatment.

Fresh leaves can be made as tea. Some are also available over-the-counter in oil, tincture, capsule, powder and tea. The best thing about these natural herbs is that they do not carry any side effects as compared to mainstream anti-anxiety and anti depressant prescription medications.

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Anxiety is a feeling of fear, apprehension and discomfort over a situation. This is actually a good and healthy feeling since the body is able to recognize something that it needs to address. This “flight or fight” response enables the body to get that much needed boost of energy to react to the specific situation. In this case, anxiety is helpful. However, if it gets intense, recurring and exaggerated, it may already be considered as an anxiety attack.

The exact cause of an anxiety attack is not fully understood, but research suggests that genetics, life experiences and brain chemistry contribute to the onset of the attack. What is known is that during the attack, a person shows signs and changes in the body.

The immediate sign of anxiety attack is increased heartbeat or palpitation. This is the most diStressing among anxiety symptoms. But this is generally a good thing since the heart works harder to pump more blood to your body, especially to your legs and your arms, enabling you to have a surge of energy to respond quicker than normal to any emergency. The chest feels tight as if it refuses to expand to accommodate air the body needs. Sometimes, the feeling is like someone is pushing a pillow into your face.

The additional oxygen requirement of the body must be compensated by breathing. Thus, during an anxiety attack, you breathe faster. As your arms and legs receive more oxygen and energy, your muscles tend to get tensed, which is important when abrupt movement is needed.

As your arms and legs receive more supply of oxygen through the blood, other parts of the body receive less than normal supply of oxygen (the stomach and the brain can survive with less oxygen during emergency situations). In other words, the oxygen that is supposed to go to the stomach is redirected to the arms and legs. This explains why a person who is undergoing an anxiety attack experiences churning feeling in the stomach. Because the brain receives less amount of oxygen for a short period of time, the person experiences light-headedness and dizziness. (Take note, however, that the reduced supply of oxygen in the brain is just enough to produce these symptoms and doesn’t cause any permanent brain damage.)

Because your heart pumps more blood to your muscles, your body temperature increases. So to keep a relatively normal temperature, you begin to sweat.

Aside from these signs, you can also experience weakness or fatigue, tingling sensation, and dry mouth. Also, side-effects of these signs may include diarrhea and constant urination.

These body responses are automatic. Meaning, there is no “switch” to turn it on. Thus, there is also no way you can turn it off by simply thinking that you should not feel any of these symptoms. What you should do, especially if the attack is chronic, recurring and it already affects your life, is to seek medical help. This way, your doctor will be able to identify and rule out any other possible causes of these signs which are unrelated to anxiety.

Allow your doctor to conduct a physical exam. He may prescribe you a drug or may refer you to a psychologist or a therapist. Following your doctor is important so do not ignore any advice and believe that you are totally okay.

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A panic attack is a sudden surge of overwhelming fear and anxiety, usually without any clear reason and without warning. It can happen to anyone regardless of age, health and status. Many attacks are a one-time occurrence, but some people experience recurring episodes. Recurring episodes are often caused by a “trigger” – like speaking in front of a crowd or doing a presentation at work. Panic attacks may be a part of another disorder such as depression, panic disorder, or social phobia. These, however, are generally harmless, but sufferers still feel that their life is in danger. Either way, panic attacks are treatable.

Signs and Symptoms

A panic attack can happen anytime, but it usually happens when you are away from home. You may be at a store shopping, at work preparing for a presentation, in a class, driving, walking down the street or even during asleep.

The signs and symptoms develop quickly and usually arrive at its peak in 10 minutes. The majority of panic attacks do not last for more than 30 minutes and it rarely lasts for more than an hour.

A person during an attack shows these signs and symptoms:

• Increased heartbeat or palpitation
• Chest pain
• Hyperventilation or shortness of breath
• Stomach churning, upset stomach
• Trembling and shaking
• Muscle tension
• Sweating
• Dizziness and light-headedness
• Hot or cold flashes
• Tingling sensation or numbness
• Fear of dying, going crazy or losing control
• Feeling detached from the surroundings

Panic Disorder

A panic attack may happen just once without any problem or complication. And there is almost no reason to be concerned if you have one or two episodes. But those who have experienced several episodes usually develop panic disorder.

Recurring panic attacks along with persistent anxiety for future attacks and major changes in behavior can be considered as panic disorder. There are two symptoms of panic disorder: (1) phobic avoidance and (2) anticipatory anxiety.

Phobic avoidance – When you begin to avoid certain things or situations based on the belief that it would trigger another attack. It can also be avoiding situations that have caused the previous attack. You may also avoid places or situations where escape is difficult and help is unavailable, like riding an elevator or an airplane. Extreme case of phobic avoidance may lead to agoraphobia.

Anticipatory anxiety – The “fear of fear” or the fear of having future panic attacks. The person manifesting this symptom is usually tensed and anxious. When ignored, the condition can be disabling.

Panic disorder with agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is traditionally believed as fear of open places or public places, thus, it literally means “fear of the marketplace.” However, now it is believed that agoraphobia is fear of experiencing panic attack in a place where help is difficult or where escape would be difficult.

People with agoraphobia tend to avoid the following situations or activities:

• Being away from home

• Driving

• Confined places where there is a possibility of being trapped (elevator, theaters, public transportation, stores)

• Going out with “unsafe” person or someone he or she is not comfortable being with.

• Places where it would be embarrassing to have a panic attack like parties and other social gatherings.

In severe cases, people with agoraphobia see their home as the only safe place.

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Just like adults, children experience fear, anxiety and apprehension. These are but normal emotional experiences that a person feels regardless of age. However, if anxiety becomes irrational, recurring and severe, and anxiety attacks happen without any apparent reason, and the reaction is disproportionate to the problem at hand, it can be a cause of concern. This is why on the first signs of problem, have your child get proper diagnosis by a health professional to be able to rule out any possible causes and determine the right treatment to be applied.

Since anxiety attack is a type of anxiety disorder, it is important to know what happens to a child who is suffering from such disorder. To be able to identify it, here are the following symptoms:

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Stress is affecting each individual differently, according to the cause and its effects.

There are numerous types of stress as recognized by clinical and research analysis. It’s vital for an individual to recognize the reason behind stress to know the way to handle it, and hopefully reduce stress levels. Likewise , each sort of stress have different approaches to treatment. Essentially , there are three known kinds of stress : acute stress, episodic acute stress, and protracted stress. However, a 4th kind mental stress is also becoming more common and is regarded as a legit type of stress.
Acute Stress

This is the most typical form of stress, which results from the pressures one is the subject of in their daily life. In little amounts of acute stress, it can essentially be of benefit to an individual. Think about sportsmen that are about to challenge in an event. They experience acute stress, which triggers the production of adrenaline and giving them a burst of energy wanted to perform their best. The symptoms for this kind of stress are simply recognizable and often is affecting an individual only in a short term. Common symptoms include back or neck discomfort, muscular tensions, headache, fast heartbeat, sweaty palms, cold hands or feet.
Episodic Acute Stress

As mentioned above, acute stress is reasonably common to most of the people. However, there are a couple of others who experience it more frequently than others. These folk are those who are so centered on achieving organization and yet always fail when it comes to performance. , it isn’t surprising that they frequently become irritable, if not with themselves then their initial environment. This also explains why they find the workplace quite a stressful environment. Other kinds of episodic acute Stress are those folks that keep troubling. They are becoming so dismal about the environment that they mostly project anything wrong would happen. Thus , they finish up feeling awful, tense, or anxious without having clear reasons for feeling that way.

Chronic Stress

This is the sort of stress that wears one out.

And , it builds up over time and can produce long term effects on somebody, whether emotionally or physically. Most forms of persistent stress are due to trauma that they find tough to let go and so it continues to interrupt their daily lives. One difficulty with chronic stress is that folks regularly believe that it is something that is built in to them and they can’t lose. So , it makes treating this condition difficult as it is usually ignored by the person troubled by it. It can be treated thru stress management procedures and behavioral treatment.

Psychological Stress

Stress has its own set of complexity. With the different types stated above, mental stress concerns more of somebody’s ability to retort to a given situation. To be precise, the loss of that capability. During deadly eventualities, your body produces hormones known as adrenaline and cortisol that prompts the body to make a reply.

Compare this to charging a battery that produces high voltage that has to be discharged. In the case of somebody suffering from mental stress, the body fails to discharge that burst of energy that is produced. The ongoing raise in your heart rate and the production of adrenaline could result to deadly issues in your heart. There are many reasons as to how one takes mental stress but it can include stress suffered from an emotionally worrying event during the past or other emotional anxiety. The difficulty with folk suffering from mental stress is they have a tendency to prompt more stress in their lives by subjecting themselves to stressful scenarios. Today, many groups hold support to help people who suffer at the hands of this condition and regain control over their life.

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Relaxing in the Middle of Stress

Stress management is a crucial practice that the general public nowadays need to learn. With a fast moving working environment, folk are continually put through incredible pressure that result to upsetting levels of stress in their lives.

You want to be in a position to cope quickly with the quantity of stress that you’ve got to deal with since it produces many negative effect on your body in mind. First stress may cause your performance to drop due to your incapacity to target the tasks to hand. Stress can also have an effect on your health and body. Often , stress can escalate into depression or anxiety. Relaxation is one of the finest methodologies used to deal with and scale back the symptoms of stress. Relaxation strategies have been utilised for stress management during traditional times and they turn out to be as effective today.

So , learning the way to relax in the middle of too much Stress in your daily life will mean an arena of difference.

Starting a Relaxation Practice

As with anything, beginning a relaxation practice is usually the most important hurdle that folks are faced with. When you start to notice that you appear to quickly lose energy and continually change your mood, then perhaps it’s time to re-appraise yourself because this will be all due to stress. There are many relaxation activities that help combat stress in your life whether so simple as deep respiring, stretching or meditation, to more sophisticated relaxation techniques like yoga or tai chi. To experience the full advantages of such relaxation strategies, you must take time every day to perform them.

Only then would you be in a position to harness its relieving power so you can get benefits from stress relief. It doesn’t have to take so much of your time every day, perhaps at least ten mins to as much as twenty mins is sufficient for stress management.

For better success at developing this practice, take note of the following tips:

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