What is a Panic Attack or an Anxiety Attack?
A panic attack, also known as an anxiety attack, is an amount of time where a person feels extremely intense sense of intense fear and mental distress. Panic attacks often occur abruptly with no apparent cause. One common panic attack symptom is trembling. Shortness of breath is another common anxiety attack symptom. Other anxiety attack symptoms include chest pain and chest tightness, sweating, dizziness, vertigo, lightheadedness, hyperventilation, tingling sensations, choking and smothering sensations. There are more symptoms, but these are the most common.
Physical Symptoms
Here’s a list of known physical symptoms of panic attacks:
- Shortness of breath
- Racing or pounding
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Lightheadedness
- Tingling or numbness in the hands, face, feed or mouth
- Nausea and stomach pains
- Hot/cold flushes
- Claustrophobia
- Hyperventilation
- Trembling and shaking
- Physical weakness and limpness
- Chest pain
- Choking and smothering sensations
- Uncontrollable itching
- Faintness
- Exhaustion
- Sweating
Panic Disorder
Frequent attacks that occur randomly might be a telltale sign of Panic Disorder, but it could also be related to other anxiety disorders. Panic Disorder can be treated with therapy, anti-anxiety drugs, antidepressants, or a combination of these. Panic Disorder can be caused by common things such as over-intake of caffeine or nicotine and low blood sugar.
Treatment and Cure for Panic Attacks
Panic attacks can be treated with therapy. One particular type of therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, is especially effective at treating and eventually ending anxiety attacks. This therapy works by purposely exposing somebody suffering panic attacks to the symptoms that panic attacks cause, to help the sufferer stop being afraid of panic attacks and anxiety attack symptoms. This panic attack treatment method is known as Interoceptive Desensitization and one study by Barlow & Craske (1989) showed that 87% of panic attack suffers that participated in Interoceptive Desensitization therapy no longer suffered anxiety attacks or panic attacks. For many, this treatment is a cure for Panic Attacks.
There is more information available on treatment for panic attacks and anxiety attacks in The Anxiety And Panic Attack Kit, which includes step-by-step guides on how to cure anxiety attacks and advice on handling the symptoms. Visit their site to download the kit.
Thanks for reading,
Tim.
This entry was posted on Friday, August 3rd, 2007 at 7:00 am and is filed under health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
