While we all have dealt with some amount of stress in our lives, there are some that live with the constant fear of when their next panic attack may occur. Even if the sufferer has experienced the occasional symptoms of a panic attack, the symptoms may have been so intense that they may have made drastic changes to their life in order to prevent another attack from ever occurring. Those who suffer from panic attacks can experience symptoms at any time during the day, even when sleeping. The symptoms of a panic attack can include, but are not limited to the following:

Experiencing an unusually fast heartbeat for no particular reason Feeling a pressure on the chest Having difficulty breathing Experiencing a fear of getting stuck in traffic or in another location Having anxious thoughts that just won’t go away Feeling weak, faint, or dizzy Experiencing sweating or chilling spells Experiencing a numbness or tingling in the hands and fingers Having inexplicable feelings of deep discomfort or embarrassment in normal scenarios in life like work, interviews, giving a speech, parties and get-togethers, sitting at restaurants/cafes, public transportation, air travel, supermarkets, gym, the hairdresser or any other fear inducing situation Having a fear of dying, often because the extremely high heartbeat rate leads to the impression that sufferer is having a heart attack

Even if the sufferer knows that the bad experience has subconsciously been blown out of proportion and may not even be related to the situation they are currently in, the sheer terror that they experience while in the moment is real for them. This is why these experiences should never be dismissed by others as imagination or exaggeration since it can only make the symptoms of a panic attack that much worse for the sufferer.

The symptoms of a panic attack may last less than 10 minutes, but when the first attack occurs, the person will face an increased possibility of having another attack in the future, which can make living life that much more difficult. When the symptoms instead happen on a more frequent basis, the panic attack become a panic disorder which affects 2.5 and 3 million people in the United States with women having a higher chance of developing the disorder than men.

While the causes for panic attacks may not be entirely clear, the symptoms of the disorder can be quite difficult to bear. Whether it is a life changing event, or other life stressor, the sufferer needs to identify the trigger for their attacks if they have any chance of overcoming the symptoms of a panic attack. As soon as the cycle of panic is set, the sufferer will begin to naturally avoid any situations that could potentially cause an attack.

 

 

copyright by Patricia Adams