Anxiety and panic attacks terms are used interchangeably so often that they have come to be regarded as the same thing. Panic attacks and anxiety are related phenomena, and the symptoms of a panic attack may include hyperventilation.
Panic and Anxiety attacks can be horrifying experiences and are much more common place than the person who suffers from them thinks. Depending on what research you read they either strike more than 10 million people or affect as many as 15% of all adults. Whichever number is looked at. I am sure you will agree with me that this problem that effects women more than men is massive.
Anxiety and Panic disorders becomes classified as a mental illness when the condition causes enough distress to reduce ones ability to function socially, occupationally, or psychologically. During a panic attack, unless you were medically educated, you might think you were having a heart attack, or some other form of medical crisis. Although when they get to this level they are both considered psychiatric conditions, they can be the easiest of all to treat and in most cases are highly treatable. Anxiety and panic attacks are an emotional and physical reaction to a threat, whether that threat is real or perceived. The attacks are often associated with shallow, rapid patterns of breathing and can respond to muscle relaxation techniques and breathing exercises that form a part of many complementary therapies.
It doesn't matter from what walk of life you come from anxiety and panic attacks are non discriminatory and they appear in situations where your usual skills and talents seem to make no difference, so telling yourself to calm down, doesn't work that well. The attacks seem to be self-perpetuating and they need prompt and effective intervention. Although anxiety and panic attacks are similar, panic attacks are more high pitched than anxiety.
Anxiety and panic attacks are very frightening and very real to the person suffering the attack and no matter what anybody says they are medical conditions as real to the person as if they were suffering from heart disease. Although they are very scary once you stop letting the fears take over, you'll feel more in control. Which is the first step in recovery. You may be particularly vulnerable to anxiety and panic attacks if you are suffering from medical conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, severe pain or medical obesity.
Symptoms can include but are not limited to are: Rapid heart beat, palpitations (awareness of your heart beating), raised blood pressure feeling of tightness in the chest, breathlessness and hyperventilation (rapid, shallow breathing) sweating, pallor, chest pains, feelings of light-headedness and dizziness. Shaking and trembling pins and needles (caused by hyperventilation) usually in hands or feet. Feeling of intense fear and/or impending doom headaches and muscular aches and pains. Insomnia, irritability, nightmares fatigue digestive disturbances, e.g., abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea and/or vomiting. Feeling cut off from yourself and other people, fear of dying, desensitization, depersonalization, feeling of unreality, depression, numbness and difficulty falling or staying asleep. symptoms of panic attacks, feelings of unreality, bodily sensations, body muscles, nausea and diarrhoea, natural instinct, flight reaction, derealisation, muscle tension, abdominal distress, tightness in chest, pounding heart,
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