Whether you or a loved one has already been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder or you are just beginning to suspect you are experiencing anxiety attacks, the need for information is great.
If you are able to sit down with a doctor or therapist and have anxiety attacks explained in detail, then you have a great start to getting them treated and under control. If you’re not yet sure about the next step to take and simply want to have a better understanding of what they are, this article is a great place to start.
How Do I Know If I’m Having an Anxiety Attack?
“Anxiety attack” is a term that many people use to describe a fairly brief period of time in which some significantly uncomfortable symptoms seem to almost take over their lives. More commonly known in medicine as “panic attacks” these periods generally last for ten minutes or less, although multiple attacks can hit in a row making it difficult to recognize that they are separate instances.
You will often hear anxiety attacks explained as a combination of four or more of the following symptoms:
- Heart palpitations
- Shortness of breath
- Shaking
- Sweating
- Chills or hot flashes
- Nausea or abdominal paying
- Fear that you are dying
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Numbness or tingling
- Fear of going crazy
- Chest pain or tightness
- Derealization and/or depersonalization
- Feeling of choking
The Anatomy of an Anxiety Attack Explained in Detail
Anxiety attacks happen when our bodies react in a disproportionate way to the stress we are feeling. Whereas some people might get a little “creeped out” by a spider, for example, someone else might have a full-on anxiety attack when confronted by one of these creatures. The response is much more intense than it should be when facing something is isn’t truly dangerous, even though it may be perceived as a threat.
When scared, our bodies go into a self-preservation mode, and an almost instantaneous decision is made: should I run, or should I fight? There may be other options, but the “fight or flight” options are the two most commonly discussed. Despite the fact that the “threat” may actually be something completely harmless (riding in an elevator, for example), the afflicted person’s body reacts as if it was facing a truly dangerous situation. As a result, adrenaline is pumped into the body, causing an increase in heart rate and respiration, corresponding with symptoms one and two above. The change in respiration can feel like choking, as in symptom number thirteen. Less blood is making its way to the brain causing symptoms like number eight. The oxygen-to-carbon-dioxide ratio in the body gets skewed, leading to other symptoms, too.
While understanding what happens during an anxiety attack may not completely thwart future events, it can help incredibly to understand why your body is doing the things it does. This gives you something to focus on other than sheer panic, too, and can help bring you out of the attack more quickly or even avoid it altogether if you can recognize it before the symptoms have gotten too far out of control.
Doctors and therapists have more resources than ever and even non-specialists have had anxiety attacks explained thoroughly so that they can better help patients suffering with these issues. While any kind of perceived mental problem has long been a source of shame for many, the topic of anxiety attacks and related disorders has become more of a mainstream conversation. Rather than hiding symptoms and worrying about what a doctor/therapist/family member might think, it’s important to instead take the reins and learn how to recognize, treat, and eradicate the problem before it becomes debilitati
