Anxiety and Panic Attack

Anxiety disorder is an heightened level of normal anxiety or nervousness that normal everyday people may experience. Anxiety disorders and panic attacks are different than normal nervousness though, as it usually interferes with a person's ability to lead a normal life.

Anxiety disorders are quite common in today's population. 18% of all Americans suffer from some sort of Anxiety disorder or panic attacks.

The most common form of anxiety disorder is a panic disorder. Often striking without warning or without reason. The fear response is often out of proportion for the situation the person is dealing with. After having a few attacks the person develops a constant fear of having recurring attacks.

* Panic disorder:
People with this condition have feelings of terror that strike suddenly and repeatedly with no warning. Other symptoms of a panic attack include sweating, chest pain, palpitations (irregular heartbeats), and a feeling of choking, which may make the person feel like he or she is having a heart attack or "going crazy."
* Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD):
People with OCD are plagued by constant thoughts or fears that cause them to perform certain rituals or routines. The disturbing thoughts are called obsessions, and the rituals are called compulsions. An example is a person with an unreasonable fear of germs who constantly washes his or her hands.
* Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD):
PTSD is a condition that can develop following a traumatic and/or terrifying event, such as a sexual or physical assault, the unexpected death of a loved one, or a natural disaster. People with PTSD often have lasting and frightening thoughts and memories of the event, and tend to be emotionally numb.
* Social anxiety disorder :
Also called social phobia, social anxiety disorder involves overwhelming worry and self-consciousness about everyday social situations. The worry often centers on a fear of being judged by others, or behaving in a way that might cause embarrassment or lead to ridicule.
* Generalized anxiety disorder :
This disorder involves excessive, unrealistic worry and tension, even if there is little or nothing to provoke the anxiety.
* Specific phobias:
A specific phobia is an intense fear of a specific object or situation, such as snakes, heights, or flying. The level of fear usually is inappropriate to the situation and may cause the person to avoid common, everyday situations.

These disorders are not the result of personal weakness, a character flaw, or a poor upbringing. Scientific research has shown that these disorders are caused by a combination of factors, including changes of chemical balance in the brain, stresses from everyday life, and even genetics.

Scientific studies have shown that chemicals in the brain, that control mood, can be changed due to severe or long lasting stress. Chemicals in the brain that control memory or mood can run in the family, which means they can be inherited from one or both parents. Plus, certain environmental factors like a trama or significant events may trigger an anxiety disorder in people who have these disorders running thru their family histories.

People who have these disorders in their family run a four to seven times increased risk of getting or having these panic disorders.

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General symptoms of Anxiety Disorder include:

* Feelings of panic, fear, and uneasiness
* Uncontrollable, obsessive thoughts
* Repeated thoughts or flashbacks of traumatic experiences
* Nightmares
* Ritualistic behaviors, such as repeated hand washing
* Problems sleeping
* Cold or sweaty hands
* Shortness of breath
* Palpitations
* An inability to be still and calm
* Dry mouth
* Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
* Nausea
* Muscle tension

Symptoms of a panic attack, which often last about 10 minutes, include:

* Difficulty breathing
* Pounding heart or chest pain
* Intense feeling of terror
* Sensation of choking or smothering
* Dizziness or feeling faint
* Trembling or shaking
* Sweating
* Nausea or stomachache
* Tingling or numbness in the fingers and toes
* Chills or hot flashes
* A fear that you are losing control or are about to die

To be diagnosed with Anxiety Disorder, a doctor will usually begin the evaluation by asking you questions regarding your medical history, and performing a physical examination. There are no laboratory test to diagnose Anxiety Disorder, but the doctor may use various test to look for a phsyical illness which might cause similar symptoms.

Psychiatrists and psychologists are trained to deal with anxiety disorders. They use specially designed interview and assessment tools to evaluate a person for an anxiety or panic disorder.

The intensity and duration of the symptoms will be used by the doctor to base his or her diagnosis on their patient. Attitude, behavior, and daily functioning, determines if the patient's symptoms indicate a specific anxiety or panic disorder.

There are some things you can do to control or lessen anxiety disorders and panic attack symptoms:

* Stop or reduce your consumption of products that contain caffeine, such as coffee, tea, cola, and chocolate.
* Ask your doctor or pharmacist before taking any over-the-counter medicines - particularly cold remedies - or herbal remedies. Many contain chemicals that can increase anxiety symptoms.
* Seek counseling and support after a traumatic or disturbing experience.
* Exercise daily and eat a healthy, balanced diet.

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Fortunately, much progress has been made in the last two decades in the treatment of people with mental illnesses, including anxiety disorders. Although the exact treatment approach depends on the type of disorder, one or a combination of the following therapies may be used for most anxiety disorders:

* Medication:
The antidepressant drugs Paxil and Zoloft and anti-anxiety medications such as Xanax or Klonopin are used to treat anxiety and panic disorders. Sometimes, heart medications (such as beta-blockers) are used to control irregular heartbeats.
* Psychotherapy:
Psychotherapy (a type of counseling) addresses the emotional response to mental illness. It is a process in which trained mental health professionals help people by talking through strategies for understanding and dealing with their disorder.
* Cognitive-behavioral therapy:
People suffering from anxiety disorders often participate in this type of psychotherapy in which the person learns to recognize and change thought patterns and behaviors that lead to anxious feelings. Therapy also aims to identify possibly triggers for panic attacks.

About 6 million of those being affected by panic disorder. Most of these disorders begin in childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. They occur slightly more often in women than in men, and occur with equal frequency in whites, blacks, and Hispanics.

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