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Panic and Anxiety Attacks

Anxiety is a physiological state that is caused by the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). SNS is active on the sympathetic tone base level and stressful situations can increase it’s activity. The “flight or fight” response occurs from here. However, people can have anxiety that is not triggered by outer situations. Worry is often a contributor to anxiety or having the feeling of fears that are not considered rational.

Panic is related to the “fight or flight” mechanism. It’s a reaction brought on by outside stimulus and is a product of the sympathetic nervous system. It is generally a unexpected rise of fear, that dictates to the brain on how to react. This is a stronger defense response the body has in place to help protect itself from a perceivably life threatening or harmful situation. Panic occurs when a person is already in an anxiety state of being and they begin thinking more about it.

Stress symptoms are a psychosocial reaction. It’s influenced by the way a person filters nonthreatening external events. Stress can be based on the person’s assumptions, ideas and expectations. All these type of assumptions, ideas and expectations are referred to as: ’social constructivism’; and it may appear to be natural and obvious to those who accept it, but in reality is an invention or artifact of a particular culture or society.

The body uses both ’panic’ and ’stress’ as a natural self-defense or survival mechanism. The body defense devices will engage every time the feeling of the need to ’fight or flight’, kicks in. This is the human bodies way of preparing for a potential life threatening or dangerous situation.

Anxiety doesn&rsquot always stem from fear or defensive action. Escaping situations that make us feel anxious may bring relief, but these feelings are intensified when we face similar situations causing anxiety. This encourages us to escape the situation again instead of working through the anxiety.

Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Anxiety or panic attacks are sudden periods of intense anxiety, fear and discomfort. It may appear as though they can occur for no real reason, the truth is that they are the body’s inherent response to something that it perceives to be harmful or dangerous.

The attacks usually last about ten minutes, but can be as short as one minute. However, there are some severe cases where they occur in cycles. These cycles may last for extended periods. They can also make a person feel a strong sense of nervous anticipation between each occurrence.

The common physical indications of anxiety or panic attacks are: shortness of breath, experiencing heart palpitations, breaking out in a sweat and having some type of agitated feeling. Tingling and numbness in the extremities, dizziness, lightheadedness, headaches and nausea are also commonly experienced. These may appear to be random, but they’re actually the result of the body’s preparations for protection.

The anxiety attack is brought on by a sudden onset of fear. In response, the body releases adrenaline followed by increases in the heart and breathing rate and production of sweat (to regulate body temperature). These actions prepare the body for the physical activities of fighting or escaping. Because the anticipated strenuous activity rarely follows the panic attack, these reactions result in physical discomfort.

The heart palpitations are brought on by the increased heart rate. When that happens, a person can hyperventilate due to rapid breathing, causing a decrease in the amount of carbon dioxide levels in the bodies blood and lungs. Once the carbon dioxide levels go down in the blood numbness, tingling, dizziness and lightheadedness will occur. The adrenaline causes a narrowing of the blood vessels which results in less blood flow to the head. After understanding the causes and symptoms of anxiety attacks, you should learn to breathe properly if an attack occurs, which will help you to take steps in controlling them; you owe it to yourself to learn ways to do this and get to the root of the problem!