A panic attack can be a scary scenario for the individual involved in it. It can leave you disoriented and unable to cope with your anxiety. It wasn't until the 1980's that panic and anxiety disorders were recognized by western medical institutions.
Panic attacks are tough to diagnose because of the lack of physical evidence after an attack has occurred. You cannot detect anxiety in blood work. Panic attack sufferers often ask themselves, why did I have a panic attack? This question is more complicated than it would appear.
Our Top Pick For Beating Panic Attacks
Stopping, and preventing, panic attacks is now even easier.
Anxiety and panic attacks are becoming more common across the world. Women are more likely than men, to experience a panic attack in the course of their lifetime. A recent study showed 7% of the female population would experience at least one panic attack. This is almost double the 2.7% of the male population that will suffer from an anxiety disorder.
Panic attacks can be triggered for no reason at all. You can even have an anxiety attack in your sleep. For sufferers of chronic panic attacks, a stressful situation can trigger anxiety, which can be especially dangerous since as time continues, and the number of panic attacks increases, the sufferer begins to get anxiety about getting anxiety. This is how a spiral of depression can occur.
Some key factors make your body more prone to anxiety attacks. Your overall health and diet play a huge role in your body's ability to battle stress.
Whether you experience mental or physical stress, your body reacts the same way. As your nervous system detects pressure, a signal is sent to your brain. When your brain receives this alert, it sends a signal to your adrenal glands to release stress hormones.
These hormones have a dramatic effect on your body chemistry. Your heart rate and blood pressure increase, which can cause shortness of breath, hot and cold flashes, dizziness and nausea. These hormones are so powerful they can cause an irregular heart beat during your attack, with many sufferers confusing panic attacks with heart attacks.
Mental stress can trigger the release of these hormones. Things like having to speak in front of large crowds or financial deadlines can all trigger a negative stress response in your body. We deal with more distractions than any generation in the history of man.
All of this information overload can cause your thought pattern to become disoriented; this can cause your brain to send the stress signal.
Panic attacks are like a train of negative emotions crashing into your mind and body. They are debilitating, often leaving the sufferer anti-social and in a state of depression. People can experience overwhelming emotions during an attack. These emotions are sporadic and can range from extreme sadness all the way to suicidal tendencies.
Some genetic and physical conditions can increase your risk of anxiety disorders. If you already suffer from high blood pressure, low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia you are more likely to have panic attacks, since your body must work harder to keep your blood at the proper temperature if your pressure is not correct.
Many simple things you can do, will reduce your body's negative reaction to stress. The first and easiest step is, eating healthy. Leafy greens can lessen the amount of stress your digestive and circulatory systems have to deal with on a daily basis. This one change can have a significant impact on how your body deals with stress.
Practice a relaxation response: any sequence of things you do that can help you remain calm in a stressful situation. Breath control is one of the most impactful ways to reign in anxiety.
When you control your breathing, you also control your heart rate. By mastering your breathing techniques, you can alleviate any stress before it gains momentum and becomes an attack.
Technology has given us unlimited access to helpful tools in every category, and anxiety is no exception. Downloadable relaxation audios are available online, such as Panic Away. These anxiety reducing exercises can help build up your body’s response to stress.
Meditation is one of the best ways to release your mind and body from the chains of stress. When you meditate, your mind can let go of negative emotions, similar to how a computer runs better, once you remove the cache. By putting ten minutes aside a day, you can begin to see an immediate drop in anxiety.
Our Top Pick For Beating Panic Attacks
Stopping, and preventing, panic attacks is now even easier.
