Anxiety attacks or panic attacks are sudden episodes of intense distress caused in people due to certain unfamiliar and uncomfortable situations. All people feel uneasy when they are in unfamiliar surroundings, but in people who get anxiety attack, these symptoms are quite pronounced. This is a psychological disorder but it may also manifest itself in various somatic ways. The following are some common symptoms of anxiety attack.

Symptoms of Anxiety Attack

Perspiration – When a person gets very frightened or feels extremely anxious over something, perspiration increases. Sweating in a limited amount is not bad at all but sweating profusely is not a good sign.

Palpitations – When a person is about to get an anxiety attack, the heart starts beating very fast. The rate of heartbeat increases during physical activity too, but that is a different thing. If the palpitation has increased because of fear or worry, then it could be an indication of an incoming anxiety attack.

Difficulty in Breathing – When someone is anxious, there is a feeling of shortness of breath. In this case, the person’s brain and other organs might not get enough air and that leads to the uneasiness.

Shaking or Trembling – In the wake of an anxiety attack, trembling of the entire body is quite common. In most cases, the person will not be able to stand or perform some tasks that require physical effort.

Chest Pains – Chest pains during an anxiety attack require a lot of attention because these could be a somewhat dangerous situation to be in.  An anxiety attack can lead to panic attack, which is believed to more dangerous for health. This is indicated through pain in the chest.

Nausea and Vomiting –Anxiety or pain can bring about a feeling of nausea and vomiting. If fear makes a person nauseous, then it is a sure indication that an anxiety attack is happening.

Dizziness – Lightheadedness because of worry or fear is considered to be a sure test for anxiety attack. This is because even if only lightheadedness occurs and the person feels no other symptom, it still is an anxiety attack.

Stomachache and Hot or Cold Flashes – People may have pain in abdominal and get hot or cold flashes during an anxiety attack.

The above list is an incomplete list, because different people react to anxiety in different ways and therefore the symptoms of anxiety attack are also different in them. However, the above are the most common symptoms observed in sufferers. But one thing is common – all people who face an anxiety attack will exhibit a blend of symptoms, which will be physical as well as emotional.

If you’re experiencing anxiety attack symptoms, then you have to quickly have yourself tested and treated. Recognize the signs of anxiety and take some time to cure it, no matter how hectic your lifestyle is. How do you know if regular conditions that make you worried or uneasy are just normal, or something that needs immediate attention, like anxiety attack symptoms?

Anxiety Attack Symptoms

The most common anxiety attack symptom is intense fear or phobia. This often unfounded fear may be accompanied by any one or more of the following:

• Heart palpitations and faster heartbeats

• Dizziness or nausea

• Pins and needles muscle pain

• Difficulty in breathing

• Hot or cold flashes

• Excessive sweating and/or tremors.

• Chest pain

• Having a feeling of impending doom. You may feel that something bad is going to happen to you or to your loved ones.

• Stomach problems – feeling sick to your stomach, diarrhea and sometimes even vomiting

An anxiety attack usually lasts half an hour or less. It can be a one-time event or a repetitive one. If anxiety attack symptoms are frequent and regular, you may be already suffering from an anxiety disorder. Sometimes, anxiety attacks are triggered by the fear of having another anxiety attack.

Anxiety Disorder

This disorder is characterized by chronic worrying and repeated episodes of anxiety or panic attacks.

Aside from the symptoms associated with anxiety attacks, those with anxiety disorder generally experience difficulty concentrating, change in appetite, frequent need to use the bathroom, insomnia, restlessness, lethargy, irritability, loss of interest in life, muscle tension, fatigue and others.

The most common type of anxiety disorder is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). This is usually associated with a false or irrational fear that something terrible will happen in the future. This could mean being so preoccupied about the cause of your anxiety so much that you cannot focus on other things like work. Sometimes there is no exact cause for the anxiety, though feelings of dread overwhelm the person on a daily or regular basis.

Anxiety Treatments and Medication

A counselor can usually treat mild anxiety. The counselor can give breathing and relaxation exercises to deal with anxiety attacks when they occur. It also helps to do regular meditation on your own.

Some herbs like chamomile, which has a calming effect, can also help. Testimonial evidence shows that valerian and passion flower, when combined, effectively reduce anxiety. Other herbs that can be used for treatment are kava hops, skullcap, motherwort, pennyroyal, St. John’s wort, and linden.

For severe cases, relaxation exercises and herbal remedies may only be supplemental to anxiety medications. Recommended medication especially for GAD is alprazolam, which is most effective for anxiety disorders with biological basis. The right dose of alprazolam, though, differs from patient to patient. Finding the best dose for you may take time, but consulting a good doctor may make it easier.

Understanding anxiety attack symptoms and its signs may help you and others effectively deal with this disorder. With the proper treatment, anyone suffering from anxiety attacks can gradually live a happy and fearless life.

Anxiety attack symptoms are what we typically experience if we feel sudden danger is going to happen.

Anxiety attack can be a very terrifying experience. It is a period of sudden and intense fear or discomfort, typically with an abrupt onset and usually lasting for no more than 10 minutes. Sometimes a person can experience a panic attack all of a sudden without particular reason. Most people that experience one attack will usually experience another attack, and those who have recurring attacks, or feel severe anxiety about having another are said to have panic disorder.

Various individuals report different symptoms during an anxiety attack. Some of the common anxiety attack symptoms are:

Palpitations, a pounding of heart, or an accelerated heart rate

Increased sweating

Trembling or shaking

Shortness of breath

Chest pain or discomfort

Nausea or stomach discomfort

A feeling light-headedness, or faint

A feeling of unreality

Depersonalization or a feeling of being detached from oneself

Fear of losing control or going crazy

Fear of dying

Numbness, or a tingling sensation

Chills

Feeling of impending doom

These are some of the possible anxiety attack symptoms. A normal person may experience one or more of these symptoms from time to time. Having to experience some of these anxiety attack symptoms is considered normal if you have reasonable explanations for them. But if you are experiencing them with no apparent reasons, it can be a sign of a more serious condition.

A person with phobia will usually experience an anxiety attack as a direct result of exposure to the things that trigger the phobia. These anxiety attacks are short- lived and quickly relieved once the trigger is escaped.

Usually an anxiety attack begins with an unusual bodily sensation from the anxiety attack symptoms. A person having an anxiety attack will then react, with fear that the symptoms are indicators of a much more serious threat and in turn reacts with more fear which intensified into a state of intense anxiety and panic. Cases of the possible situations where anxiety attack can occur are: when driving, on an airplane, crowded areas, or during sleep at night. Sometimes anxiety attack occurs in a situation where the person cannot exit easily from a social gathering, or in a meeting, but others may experience an incident of anxiety for no reason while in comfortable place or even in sleep.  Anxiety attack symptoms are more or less the same feelings we might experience if we feel danger is about to happen. They are signs of how we usually react if we are triggered by fear, worry, and concern. But, chill out! Fortunately, anxiety attack is not an illness.

An anxiety attack is a short period of overwhelming fear that comes on with no warning and for no rational reason. An anxiety attack can be a one-time event, but most often is an ongoing problem. Those who experience regular anxiety attacks (two or more anxiety attacks a month) should go to a doctor. It’s very likely that those who experience that many anxiety attacks have an anxiety or panic disorder. An anxiety attack is also often called a panic attack.

Regular anxiety attacks can prevent the person who experiences them from living a normal, happy life. Anyone of any adult age, from both genders, and of all races and economic backgrounds can have an anxiety attack.

Doctors and caregivers don’t know for sure what brings on an anxiety attack. But studies have shown that there are some health conditions and medications that might cause an anxiety attack. Anxiety attack triggers include withdrawing from alcohol or illegal drugs, a fear of having another anxiety attack, or heredity reasons.

An anxiety attack can bring on feelings of loneliness and a feeling of being out-of-touch with other people. There are other physical and emotional symptoms associated with an anxiety attack, but the main symptom is extreme fear. Some of the physical symptoms that can show up with an anxiety attack can feel like the symptoms of a serious health problem, like a heart attack.

The physical and emotional signs and symptoms of an anxiety attack rarely last longer than 30 minutes. The most intense symptoms of an anxiety attack usually peak within ten minutes. There have been a few rare cases where symptoms of an anxiety attack have lasted for hours.

Even though the physical and emotional signs and symptoms of an anxiety attack might last only minutes, the psychological symptoms can last much longer.

Those who experience anxiety attacks never know when an anxiety attack will hit them. A person might have an anxiety attack once a week. Or a person might have a series of anxiety attacks followed by months and months of no anxiety attacks.

This uncertainty coupled with the actual physical and emotional symptoms of an anxiety attack makes life very challenging for those who have anxiety attacks. Some people become so fearful of an anxiety attack coming at an inappropriate moment that they are afraid to leave their homes. This fear is often called agoraphobia.

The literal definition of agoraphobia is a fear of open spaces. This definition is often misleading and confusing, especially when used in reference to anxiety attacks. People experience anxiety attacks in all situations and statistically very few experience anxiety attacks in open spaces.

Agoraphobia often begins when a person experiences an anxiety attack in a specific situation. Even after a diagnosis is made and treatment begins, the person often convinces him or herself that the situation that caused an out-of-the-blue anxiety attack will cause numerous future anxiety attacks. So, naturally, the person avoids that situation.

Anxiety attack causing agoraphobia is two times more common in women than men. Well-known American celebrities who have admitted to experiencing agoraphobia related panic attacks include Kim Basinger and Barbara Streisand.