Anxiety disorder is a real issue in the United States of America. Yet not everybody is clear of the signs of anxiety attack preceding the issue. The signs actually tell a lot of things to be concerned about. The earlier in recognizing the signs or symptoms, the better it will be in dealing with the medication.
Anxiety has long been connected to stress. In the worst case, anxiety can even lead to a mental health disorder. At this point, those who suffer from this issue will find it hard to live their lives in normal ways like others. That is why recognizing the signs of anxiety attack is essential to prevent the issue from being worsened.
Even though anxiety disorder is a common mental health problem in some countries, like the U.S. for instance. Some people are still unaware of this subject. If you or someone close to you are fighting with the anxiety, these tidbits might be helpful. Below is the resume of anything you might want to know about anxiety attack and disorder.
What is an Anxiety Attack?
Anxiety is a common feeling experienced by everybody. It is a reaction that comes out when someone is feeling under pressure, worry, afraid, or feeling threatened in a certain situation. The human’s body is automatically responding to a fight-or-flight reaction under those circumstances.
The anxious feeling at a moderate level actually serves some positives to people. It helps them to stay focus and alert as well as motivates them to solve the problems. However, when anxiety is overflown, people can be in trouble. The continuous anxiety and increasing level of stress mark an anxiety attack that can put someone into trouble.
Most of the time, an anxiety attack involves specific situations or events that trigger the feeling to arise. The situations are different from one person to another. Additionally, the level of stress and anxiety caused by the situations also vary from mild, moderate, to severe which is shown by several symptoms.
Anxiety Attack and Panic Attack: Are They the Same?
So many people link anxiety attack to a panic attack due to the similarities they share. Several symptoms between these issues are indeed the same. People who suffer from anxiety or panic attack will likely experience dizziness, restlessness, and chest pain.
Somehow, the anxiety attack and panic attack are not the same. An anxiety attack is usually come out due to several conditions triggering the feeling. Meanwhile, a panic attack can arise out of nowhere without a specific trigger.
Furthermore, although these mental health issues share similar symptoms. There is a significant difference between the symptoms shown in each of them. Anxiety symptoms are distinguished from mild, moderate, to severe. In a panic attack, the symptoms intensively occur and disruptive.
Additionally, both mental health issues also vary in the duration of the symptoms. In the anxiety attack, the symptoms can occur for a long time and in the worst case, it can lead to a panic attack. Meanwhile, in a panic attack, the symptoms usually last from 10 to 30 minutes in which it gradually decreases.
Anxiety Attack: What are the Signs?
Knowing the signs of anxiety attack is a savior to the worse condition that might happen to those suffering from it. However, not all people experience the whole symptoms. Different situations that trigger stress may lead to different symptoms coming out as the reactions to the situations.
The clear signs of anxiety attack are the arising of negative feelings in someone like sadness, irritability, worry, restlessness, feeling pressure, and hurried. Those who get the anxiety attack are also most likely hard to concentrate and find it hard to sleep or insomnia.
Not only do signs of anxiety attack can be reflected in those feelings, but it can also be seen through physical conditions. An anxiety attack is usually marked with headache or dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, the increased heart rate, tensed-neck or head, dry mouth, and body that is trembling. Some people even find it hard to breathe as their throat feels blocked. Some others say that they feel like faint when the anxiety attack comes.
The signs of anxiety attack indeed can occur for a long time. However, when the situations considered as the danger in the anxiety attack have passed, the signs will disappear. If the signs remain for a long time, there might be some indications of another disorder.
Causes of Anxiety Attack
There have been many causes that are believed in contributing to the anxiety attack. The main causes mostly deal with the level up stress and overwhelming feeling to certain conditions or situations. Women are said to be more likely to get this anxiety attack rather than men.
Common causes of the anxiety attack can come from pressure at work or financial pressure. Relationship or family problems also contribute to this issue. Bereavement due to death or divorce and separation are also a trigger to the anxiety attack. Other common causes include concerns about caregiver or parenthood, changing situations in life. Such as moving or a new office, reduced mobility due to some physical conditions, and loss of a certain mental function such as loss of short-term memory.
Those conditions are not the only causes of the anxiety attack. Some other factors are also believed to lead in the anxiety attack such as the use of certain medication, drug or alcohol abuse, or genetic factors. Excessive use of caffeine can also be a cause of the anxiety attack.
Effects of Anxiety Attack
Overwhelmed anxiety affects not only mental health but also physical condition. In the worst level, it is indeed hazardous and has some effects on the body. It can even develop into a chronic condition once it occurs for a long term.
According to the medical community, anxiety grows and develops in the amygdala which is a brain’ area that handles emotional responses. When someone is being anxious, the brain delivers signals to other parts of the body to have a fight-or-flight response. The body responses by releasing stress hormones known as cortisol and adrenaline.
An anxiety attack that is not well treated can impact several essential health issues such as respiratory system, cardiovascular, immune function, digestive, as well as urine system. As in the respiratory system, it deals with hyperventilation. When people become anxious, most probably, their breathing is shallow and rapid. It makes them feel like they have not enough air or oxygen to breathe. This will further lead to dizziness or feeling of faint.
The anxiety attack also affects immune function. A long-term anxiety attack will make cortisol turns off some elements in the immune system that fights infections. That is why those who suffer from the anxiety attack can easily catch a cold or flu.
Diagnosing Anxiety Disorder
The anxiety disorder can only be diagnosed by a professional such as a doctor or mental health professional. However, they will not be able to diagnose the anxiety attack as it is not a clinical condition. They can only diagnose the anxiety disorder based on the symptoms of anxiety being observed.
In doing the diagnosis, the professionals might need to discuss several life events that can contribute to the symptoms. A psychological evaluation may also be conducted. Furthermore, there are some physiological conditions that might be performed to deal with the diagnosis such as a blood test, a heart test, and a physical examination.
Tips to be Free from Anxiety Attack
Anxiety attack as well as anxiety disorder can be overcome and avoided if people have a healthy lifestyle to live in. This kind of lifestyle can help them well in managing stress. Aside from a healthy lifestyle, there are also some things that people can do to free themselves from overwhelmed anxiety.
1. Know the symptoms or signs
Signs of anxiety attack are indeed the primary things to deal with this issue. Knowing the signs, people take some actions that prevent the anxiety from getting worse. If someone already gets headaches, dizzy, hard to sleep, then he or she knows that it is the time to take a break or ask for help.
2. Know the triggers
The same as the previously discussed factor, knowing the condition that triggers your anxiety will save you from the issue. For example, when they know that being exhausted and dizzy due to loaded tasks lead them to anxiety, they can cut the tasks and be more relax.
3. Simple exercise
A simple 30-minute jogging can bring you a fresh day and light up the rest of your days.
4. Relaxation techniques
Meditation and yoga have been well-known in bringing along positive vibes into someone’s soul. Those are believed as great ways of reducing stress and anxiety.
The mobile and busy lifestyles are everywhere in recent days that no wonder anxiety level in people’s life is escalating. It can be well-handled once people know the signs of anxiety attack that are occupying their bodies. Knowing the signs of anxiety attack is essential as it is the very first step that can prevent the anxiety level to get worsened.
