Anxiety Attack Symptoms Simplified

Anxiety attack symptoms truly catch sufferers off guard.

In fact, many experiencing a first-time anxiety attack will mistake their symptoms for a heart attack and end up in the emergency room.  It is a terrifying situation that often feels like a sufferer is either going crazy or is actually dying.  There are treatment options for anxiety attacks, and the best way to start recovering is to understand more thoroughly what panic disorder is and how to identify anxiety attack symptoms. There are several terms that are often used interchangeably. For example, anxiety attacks may also be referred to as “panic attacks.” Likewise, someone who experiences them repeatedly may be diagnosed with an “anxiety disorder” or a “panic disorder.” This type of disorder may have less to do with a medical problem than with an emotional or learned response to certain stimuli.  Of course, the results are certainly physiological, and many times treatment falls to a doctor and/or a mental health professional.

Anxiety Attack Symptoms List

Not every person who suffers a panic attack will have all of these symptoms. If several are present, though, then it is quite possible that what you’re dealing with is an anxiety attack, and proper measures may need to be taken both to mitigate the symptoms immediately, and to extinguish the overall panic disorder.

• Change in body temperature (getting overheated or chilled)
• Change in skin color (becoming pale, flushed, or blotchy)
• Chest pain
• Choking (lump in the throat)
• Depersonalization (feeling out-of-body)
• Disturbing thoughts
• Dizziness
• Fear of going crazy
• Light-headedness
• Nausea and indigestion
• Pounding heart, heart palpitations
• Perspiration
• Sense that everything is unreal
• Shaking (internal or external)
• Shortness of breath
• Urgent need for the bathroom

The Aftermath of Dealing with Anxiety Attack Symptoms

During an anxiety attack, a sufferer may experience several of these symptoms at once.  This will often leave him or her feeling very shaky and tired after the attack has ended.  This intense experience can also lead to sore muscles and ongoing tension in the body.  Headaches, even migraines, are not uncommon after experiencing multiple anxiety attack symptoms. In addition, many people feel incredibly confused, scared, and even embarrassed.  Unfortunately, these feelings can reinforce the behavioral response and lead to even more panic attacks in the future.

What Do These Symptoms Mean for You?

Anxiety disorder symptoms cause a fair amount of anxiety all on their own. Those who have experienced a panic attack are left wondering what is wrong with them, and what this means for their lives.  It is a frightening time and one that makes many people take note of how they’re living their lives and what kind of changes need to happen. First of all, it is important to realize that, most of the time, anxiety attack symptoms are more-or-less harmless. When in the midst of a panic attack, the choking, painful, and other-worldly sensations certainly don’t feel harmless, but there is little they can really do to hurt you.  They are not the actual problem, rather they are a sign to let you know that a problem exists. Not dealing with the situation can become very unhealthy.  Some people become so terrified of triggering another panic attack that they literally become house-bound.  To a lesser degree, some sufferers find that they start avoiding activities that they previously enjoyed, either because they are afraid it will trigger an anxiety attack or because they are worried that others will witness an attack.

Dealing with Anxiety Attacks

The first line of defense is probably to learn how to deal with anxiety attack symptoms when they arise.  Deep breathing exercises, distracting activities, and knowledge are all tools you can use to lessen the intensity of symptoms when they occur. Avoiding attacks is the next concern.  This doesn’t simply mean to avoid situations where you fear an attack might happen, although that is sometimes appropriate.  Instead, it means to live a lifestyle that is fraught with less stress, as this stress often helps facilitate anxiety attacks.  Utilize time management skills, don’t bite off more than you can chew, eat a healthy diet, and incorporate a reasonable amount of exercise into your daily routine. Finally, you may very well need to deal with the root of what is causing the anxiety attack symptoms to show up in your life.  There are a couple of approaches to doing this, and a combination of methods may be the most effective route to take.  For example, some people find that speaking with a therapist can help them discover some old experience that has perpetuated an over-developed anxiety response.  On the other hand, other forms of therapy focus more on how to change the internal response to a trigger, rather than focusing so much on a past hurt that may have led the sufferer to this point. These approaches, combined with a healthier lifestyle, can make a huge difference for those experiencing overwhelming anxiety.  Panic attacks are truly terrifying, and most people will go to great lengths to avoid them.  By choosing the right path to recovery, you don’t just decrease the intensity of anxiety attack symptoms, but you can bring them to an end altogether.

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