Information About Anxiety Attacks

There are few among us who haven't experienced anxiety in one form or another. Whether it's before a presentation, public speaking engagement or an exam, we can all relate to the jittery butterflies related to anxiety. If, however, worries and that fretful feeling are interfering with your daily life, you may be suffering from anxiety disorder. Understanding and dealing with your anxiety attacks are two key strategies for regaining control of your life.

The Facts

• When you're in a high-pressure or stressful situation, it's natural to feel a sense of anxiety. It's your body's natural reaction to sensing "danger". In moderate amounts, having anxiety can help motivate us to resolve problems; however, if your anxiety is unrelenting and interferes with your activities or relationships, it's gone from normal, to a disorder that is treatable. Some signs that you are experiencing anxiety disorder include: constant worry, irrational fears (that you may know are irrational but still cannot get rid of), belief that something negative will occur if you don't do things a certain way, avoiding certain everyday activities or circumstances due to the anxious feeling they produce, sudden "heart-pounding" panic, and/or a feeling of impending danger and calamity.

Symptoms

• Anxiety attacks produce both emotional and physical symptoms that are very real and can be disabling. The number one symptom is a constant, pronounced sense of worry or fear in circumstances where most people would not feel the same way. Additional symptoms include emotional signs like irritability, difficulty concentrating, feeling of dread, jumpiness, tension, restlessness and expecting the worst. Since anxiety activates the body's "fight or flight" response, most sufferers also experience physical symptoms like sweating, shortness of breath, racing heartbeat, stomach distress, chest pain, hyperventilating, hot flashes/chills, loss of control, feeling of detachment, overwhelming panic and trembling.

Types of Anxiety Disorders

• Seeking treatment is key to regaining control. There are different types of anxiety disorders and your specific treatment will largely depend on your symptoms and the root cause of your anxiety. There are six major categories within the umbrella term "anxiety disorder": They include Generalized Anxiety Disorder (typified by chronic worry and persistent anxiety), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (typified by uncontrollable thoughts and behavior, obsessive thinking and compulsions like repeated hand washing), Panic Disorder (typified by repeated history of panic attack and fear of another, often accompanied by agoraphobia), Phobia (characterized by an unexplainable, debilitating fear of specific situations, things or activities), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (occurs after a traumatic event, typified by flashbacks and nightmares) and Social Anxiety Disorder (defined by a incapacitating fear of being embarrassed in public, extreme shyness and avoidance of social situations).

Seeking Help

• Some of the things that you can do to help yourself include: adopt a healthy lifestyle, make time for fun activities and relaxation every day, surround yourself with people who offer emotional support and ask for help when you need it. Self-coping strategies can help many people to reduce symptoms but you may need to seek professional help also. If you are experiencing a lot of the physical symptoms of anxiety, start by getting a check up. It's important to rule out a physical cause first and foremost since some medical conditions can create anxiety (thyroid problems, asthma, and hypoglycemia) as can some medications. If a medical cause is not the root of the problem, the next step is to find a therapist who is familiar with anxiety disorders. Your therapist will help you discover the root of your anxiety, type of disorder that you're suffering and the proper treatment.

Treatment Options

• Your specific treatment will depend on the severity of your anxiety and the type of disorder from which you are suffering. The majority of anxiety disorders are effectively treated with either medication, therapy or a combination of both. Behavioral therapy is split into two main treatments: cognitive-behavioral therapy (in which you focus on your thoughts to help to identify your negative thought patterns) and exposure therapy (in which you confront your fears head-on in a controlled environment to dispel your fear over time). Medications (like anti-depressants and benzodiazepines) are effective in treating anxiety but tend to be most successful when combined with some therapy for a more effective reduction in symptoms.

Additional Treatment Options

• Some additional treatments are emerging as being promising in combination with therapy and medication. Exercise (30 minutes, three to five times per week) can help to provide a substantial level of relief from anxiety; relaxation techniques (like meditation, muscle relaxation, breathing and visualization) enhance a feeling of well-being and reduce anxiety; biofeedback (uses sensors to measure heartbeat, breathing and tension in the muscles) helps to identify and control your body's response to anxiety; and hypnosis (when a therapist puts a patient into a deep state of relaxation) has been helpful in aiding patients to face fears and gain a new perspective.