Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Anxiety Attack

Everybody experiences this feeling of stress, worry, uneasiness, or fear about something. The feeling of anxiety could be because something new coming up in life, or one may face the likelihood of an unexpected incident or may have a phobia of something. All of this is considered normal because it is very common to feel anxious. Also, sometimes due to the anxiety we also get things done on time, which generally acts in our favor.

The problem arises when a person is unable to carry out his/her daily activities because they are constantly anxious about their surroundings or the outcomes. This when the condition is considered serious, and a diagnosis is recommended. A doctor may diagnose the situation by asking a few questions about how the person thinks, feels about something, or looks for any other physical symptoms. There are several types of anxiety disorders each having different symptoms. We will understand more about these types in future blog posts.

Panic Attack

Panic attacks generally come suddenly and involve intense overwhelming fear. Panic attacks include symptoms such as racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, or nausea. Expected panic attacks can occur due to phobias; however, the unexpected panic attacks do not have any such obvious reasons for the occurrence.

Panic attacks can happen to anyone; however, experiencing frequent attacks can be a symptom of mental disorder. Panic and anxiety attacks may appear similar, confusing the person about what exactly he or she is feeling. For instance, there can be a possibility that an anxiety attack may occur when one thinks of a potential situation and the person may suffer a panic attack when the situation actually arises.

If you are confused about whether you or your loved one is experiencing a panic attack or an anxiety attack, then you must consider the following points.

• Anxiety attacks can occur due to stressful or life-threatening situations. The panic attack does not require any such reasons, it can occur out of the blue.
• Anxiety can be mild, moderate or severe. Panic attacks are generally severe and have disruptive symptoms.
• The body’s fight or flight response is more active during a panic attack as compared to an anxiety attack
• Anxiety generally grows gradually while panic attacks can occur abruptly

Panic attacks and anxiety attacks can be triggered because of similar reasons. Some of which includes:

• A Stressful Job
• Social Situations
• Phobias
• Memories or reminders of traumatic experiences
• Chronic illness
• Withdrawal from alcohol or drugs
• Caffeine
• Hormonal problems such as thyroid

In our next blog, we will look at the ways in which the anxiety and panic attacks can be treated. We will look at some techniques used to calm a person suffering from an attack while at home.

It is high time we realize that mental illness is just like any other physical illness. We must create an atmosphere at home where we can openly talk about it and seek help whenever necessary. #mendmindplease is a series to remind all its readers that suffering from a mental disorder is not something to be ashamed of. Instead, the person needs professional help, and care and support from their loved ones.