The Symptoms And Signs Of Anxiety And Panic Attacks

The form an attack takes is unique to the individual, as are the symptoms thus it can be hard to make a definite diagnosis. Stress can often be mistaken for an anxiety or panic attack. As a result of our hectic lifestyles, many people come under stress every day and it can affect the way you live. It can even affect the way your body runs to the point of causing nausea, diarrhoea, headaches, constant shaking, respiratory problems, emotional outburst and many other symptoms.

All of the symptoms mentioned above also occur before and during an anxiety or panic attack. During an anxiety or panic attack, it is normal for someone to feel as if they cannot breathe. This panics them further and can bring on other symptoms. It also makes it almost impossible for someone to calm down when having an attack. Laboring to breathe may also result in chest pain, which can then be mistaken for a heart attack. This can be extremely frightening, but tightening of the chest is completely normal during an anxiety or panic attack so the individual should try and remain focused on breathing.

Many sufferers of anxiety and panic attacks have many of the general symptoms in common. A feeling of overwhelming dread is one of the main ones.  They feel completely out of control and believe that something awful is going to happen. This simply serves to add to the effect when someone is having an anxiety or panic attack. It can get to the point where the symptoms actually serve to make the attack even worse. They have an innate fear during their attack, which feeds the attack itself and causes all symptoms to worsen.

Recurring anxiety and panic attacks are actually more likely to occur when the immediate environment is similar to that of their first attack. If, for example, it was in a crowded elevator, it is likely to happen whenever the individual is in a crowded elevator. Some avoid public places, open spaces, crowds or whatever situations bring on the attacks like the plague. They are likely to end up in a similar state.

The nature of anxiety or panic attacks will vary from one person to the next. One person may have one daily, once every couple of months, others may have one a year, and then of course there are people who only have one when they face the most stressful situation of their life or never experience any. If you belong to the latter group, thank your lucky stars.