Anxiety or Panic Attacks

Anxiety Attacks Symptoms-What are they?
What are the symptoms of anxiety attacks?
In today's fast paced society, everyone feels anxious, stressed; worried from time to time. You feel nervous about meeting the monthly bills, being on time picking the kids up at school, or finding someone to fix the car.
If this anxiety starts to become more persistent, overwhelming, and starts to run your life, you may start to suffer Panic Attacks. If you are experiencing panic attacks you are not alone, six to eight percent of Americans experience panic attacks. That's about 19 million Americans, experiencing these anxiety attacks symptoms.
But there is good news, anxiety attacks symptoms can be treated and usually without drugs and expensive therapy.
Physical Symptoms Typically Associated with Anxiety Attacks and Disorders
What is the main anxiety attack symptom? It is one of extreme fear. Because during the attack you think you have a serious health problem, and may even think that you are having a heart attack because of chest pain and shortness of breath.

Other symptoms may include:

Light headedness or dizziness
Sweating or trembling
Experiencing hot flashes
A fear of doing something embarrassing
Experiencing a feeling of doom
Palpitations
Stomach upset
A choking sensation
Numbness or tingling of hand, feet or lips
A fear that you are going to die
Along with physical symptoms there are numerous Emotional Symptoms.
Emotional Symptoms
Avoidance
Confusion
Nervousness or very jumpy
Insecure or self-conscious

Frequently feeling restless or on edge
Feelings of dread, apprehension or uneasiness
If you've experienced intense anxiety for an extended period of time (6 months or more) then you are likely experiencing generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). If your feelings of worry, anxiety and fear interfere with your work, relationships or daily activities then you should consider a visit to your health care professional. I like to see people treated naturally without drugs. But at this stage you may need a combination of drugs and natural therapies.

New Tricks To Stop
Anxiety And Panic Attacks
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One important point I would like to make, when considering what causes your anxiety attacks, you must know all the thoughts that are running around in your head. These thoughts are known as self talk. Just about all of the best tricks for controlling your anxieity attacks are based on understanding all of the self talk in your life. Panic attacks often start with you thinking(self talk) of yourself in negative thoughts. If this self talk consists of sad and frightening ideas you are well on the way to your next panic attack.

I know when you are on the verge of having a anxiety attack, you are having a hard time thinking clear headed. So lets keep this simple. Listed below are some methods I find to be easily used when you are headed down the road to another panic attack.
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Technique #1 - Self Talk-Always be aware of your self talk

The best tip I can give you here is to always be conscious of what is happening in your head. The way this self talk is process in your mind has a huge effect on the liklihood of you having another panic attack.

If you are consentrating on thoughts which will cause a panic attack, then you have to stop it. Focus all your attention on something that is present. Ok lets look at this situation, you are around a large group of people and you have feelings and self talk that could cause an attack, then change your thoughts to something that puts you at ease. Of course this is easier said then done, but with practice this method will help you reduce your panic attacks.

Technique #2 - Maintain focus on your inhales and exhales

Practice-Remember to reduce the speed of your breathing, because your breathing is in tune with your brain. Control this link and you will see a difference because of it. Now try breathing like this - Take a deep breath with a count of 7 and breathe out with a count of 10. Fairly quickly you should feel better and may have avoided another panic attack.

Technique #3 - Know all of the symptoms of panic attacks

You should become familiar with the various panic attack symptoms. They are listed in the article above. When you begin to experience any of these symptoms you can take immediate action and stop this anxiety attack before it grows into a bigger problem.

Your doctor should be able to give you some more Anxiety Attack Symptoms and Treatment tips. Always ask questions when you are at your health care providers office.

New Tricks To Stop
Anxiety And Panic Attacks
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* 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.

Learn more

http://www.panicportal.com

Joe Barry is an international panic disorder coach. His informative site on all issues related to panic and anxiety attacks can be found here: This article is copywritten material

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