Monday April 9, 2007

Symptoms of a Panic Attack

If you suffer from…

* Palpitations

* a pounding heart, or an accelerated heart rate

* Sweating

* Trembling or shaking

* Shortness of breath

* A choking sensation

* Chest pain or discomfort

* Nausea or stomach cramps

* Derealization (a feeling of unreality)

* Fear of losing control or going crazy

* Fear of dying Numbness or a tingling sensation

* Chills or hot flashes

…then you've experienced firsthand some of the possible symptoms of a
panic or anxiety attack. If you are reading this page because a loved
one suffers from these symptoms and you are trying to understand or
help, it's hard to appreciate what they go through.

Just try to imagine what it feels like to experience one, if you can.

Here is a typical example:

Standing in a supermarket queue, it's been a long wait but only one
customer to go before you make it to the cashier. Wait, what was that
sensation? An unpleasant feeling forms in your throat, your chest
feels tighter, now a sudden shortness of breath, and what do you
know—your heart skips a beat. "Please, God, not here."

A quick scan of the territory—is it threatening? Four unfriendly faces
queue behind, one person in front. Pins and needles seem to prick you
through your left arm, you feel slightly dizzy, and then the explosion
of fear as you dread the worst. You are about to have a panic attack.

There is no doubt in your mind now that this is going to be a big one.
Okay, focus: Remember what you have been taught, and it is time now to
apply the coping techniques. Begin the deep breathing exercise your
doctor recommended. In through the nose, out through the mouth.

Think relaxing thoughts, and again, while breathing in, think "Relax,"
and then breathe out. But it doesn't seem to be having any positive
effect; in fact, just concentrating on breathing is making you feel
self-conscious and more uptight.

Okay, coping technique 2:

Gradual muscle relaxation. Tense both shoulders, hold for 10 seconds,
then release. Try it again. No; still no difference. The anxiety is
getting worse and the very fact that you are out of coping techniques
worsens your panic. If only you were surrounded by your family, or a
close friend were beside you so you could feel more confident in
dealing with this situation.

Now, the adrenaline is really pumping through your system, your body
is tingling with uncomfortable sensations, and now the dreaded feeling
of losing complete control engulfs your emotions. No one around you
has any idea of the sheer terror you are experiencing. For them, it's
just a regular day and another frustratingly slow queue in the
supermarket.

You are out of options. Time for Plan C.

The most basic coping skill of all is "fleeing." Excuse yourself from
the queue; you are slightly embarrassed as it is now that it is your
turn to pay. The cashier is looking bewildered as you leave your
shopping behind and stroll towards the door. There is no time for
excuses—you need to be alone. You leave the supermarket and get into
your car to ride it out alone. Could this be the big one? The one you
fear will push you over the edge mentally and physically. Ten minutes
later the panic subsides.

It's 10:30 a.m. How are you going to make it through the rest of the day?

If you suffer from panic or anxiety attacks, the above scenerio
probably sounds very familiar. It may have even induced feelings of
anxiety and panic just reading it. The particular situations that
trigger your panic and anxiety may differ; maybe the bodily sensations
are a little different. Or maybe it happened to you for the first time
on a plane, in the dentist chair, or even at home, while doing nothing
in particular.

If you have ever had what has become known as a "panic attack," take
comfort in the fact that you are by no means alone.

A panic attack always comes with the acute sense of impending doom.
You feel you are either about to lose your mind or one of your vital
bodily functions is about to cease functioning and you will end your
days right there among the canned goods and frozen food.

You are by no means alone; you're not even one in a million. In
America, it is estimated that almost 5% of the population suffer from
some form of anxiety disorder. For some, it may be the infrequent
panic attacks that only crop up in particular situations-like when
having to speak in front of others, while, for other people, it can be
so frequent and recurring that it inhibits them from leaving their
home. Frequent panic attacks often develop into what medical
physicians refer to as an "anxiety disorder."

One of the first steps to regaining control of your life is getting
helpful information. This site will give you that, and more.

The beginning of your recovery starts here. What you will learn is
that there is a very good chance you are about to end the cycle of
panic attacks in your life. You will learn not only to regain the
carefree life you remember once having, but will also gain new
confidence in living. Your answer to living free from "panic" or
"anxiety attacks" is at hand.

This site demonstrates that the panic and anxiety that you have
experienced will be the very key to your courage and success.

Begin the road to recovery by browsing through the site. While many of
you may have read almost everything you can possibly read relating to
panic and anxiety I assure you this site offers something very effective.

Did you know…?

The key difference between someone who is cured of panic attacks and
those who are not is really very simple. The people who are cured no
longer fear panic attacks. I'll try to show you how to be one of these
people as well.

What if I told you the trick to ending panic and anxiety attacks is to
want to have one. That sounds strange, even contradictory, but let me
explain.

The trick to panic attacks is wanting to have one-the wanting pushes
it away. Can you have a panic attack in this very second? No!

You know the saying that "what you resist, persists." Well that saying
applies perfectly to fear. If you resist a situation out of fear, the
fear around that issue will persist. How do you stop resisting–you
move directly into it, into the path of the anxiety, and by doing so
it cannot persist.

In essence what this means is that if you daily voluntarily seek to
have a panic attack, you cannot have one. Try in this very moment to
have a panic attack and I will guarantee you cannot. You may not
realize it but you have always decided to panic. You make the choice
by saying this is beyond my control.

Another way to appreciate this is to imagine having a panic attack as
like standing on a cliff's edge. The anxiety seemingly pushes you
closer to falling over the edge.

To be rid of the fear you must metaphorically jump. You must jump off
the cliff edge and into the anxiety and fear and all the things that
you fear most.

How do you jump? You jump by wanting to have a panic attack. You go
about your day asking for anxiety and panic attacks to appear.

Your real safety is the fact that a panic attack will never harm you.
That is medical fact. You are safe, the sensations are wild but no
harm will come to you. Your heart is racing but no harm will come to
you. The jump becomes nothing more than a two foot drop! Perfectly safe.

Monday, April 2, 2007

Eliminating Anxiety Attacks

The symptoms of an anxiety attack aren't always easy to recognize. The attacks themselves can be confusing as well as producing an intense "undefined" fear, often accompanied by severe discomfort and one or more physical symptoms. You can easily find yourself asking, "am I having an anxiety attack or not?"

To add to this confusion, anxiety symptoms can appear very similar to symptoms of an actual physical health problem, such as a heart attack or asthma. In fact, it is not uncommon to feel absolutely "convinced" that you have a debilitating illness or disease, when the actually problem is anxiety.

Some of the most common symptoms of an anxiety attack include:

1. Rapid heart beat
2. Shortness of breath
3. Dizziness/feeling light-headed
4. Fear of being "out of control"
5. Heart palpitations
6. Sudden sweating
7. Upset stomach
8. Tingling in the hands or feet
9. Feelings of being "out of touch" with the world around you
10. Shaking
11. A feeling of being "trapped"

On average, symptoms of an anxiety attack rarely last longer than 20-30 minutes, and often begin fading in 5 minutes or less. And even though they are not usually considered to be physically harmful, over time the accumulative affects of these attacks can severely decrease the sufferer's quality of life, and even weaken the immune system.

Along with the physical symptoms, anxiety attacks are most often accompanied by a feeling of "doom" or hopelessness. Sufferers may also feel very self-conscious and begin comparing themselves negatively with others. As a result of this, some anxiety attack sufferers will develop low self-esteem and a poor self image. Likewise, many sufferers attempt to hide the anxiety problem from friends and loved-ones, or even feel ashamed of themselves because they sufferer with this problem (blaming the victim).

Repeated anxiety attacks can develop into a real health problem that needs to be treated. Seeing a counselor can help the individual understand what is causing the anxiety. A great many people also benefit by learning relaxation techniques-for example, breathing exercises and bio-feedback are both beneficial in decreasing anxiety.

In more severe cases, medical treatment may be advised as a temporary measure, though many experts do not recommend "medicating the problem" as a long-term solution. A more practical long-term solution may be a combination of relaxation techniques and a change of lifestyle and learning to "work through" the anxiety.

An excellent first step is for the sufferer to refuse to see themselves as a "victim" of anxiety, instead taking full responsibility for their situation (again, without blaming themselves). As an individual begins to understanding that they have a great deal of power over the anxiety attacks and their response to them, anxiety often loses much of its power over them.

Being honest about your anxiety situation is also extremely helpful. "Coming out of the closet" as an anxiety sufferer can be like taking a heavy load off your shoulders. Sufferers get a great feeling of relief when they decide to be honest about their anxiety issues, and friends and loved-ones are often more supportive about this problem than you might think.

Odds are, there are people around you who also have "hidden" anxiety problems, and your honesty could inspire them to "come out" as well.