Anxiety Attacks Symptoms
This is the second article in a two part series on . anxiety attacks, symptoms:. mental and physical. The first article dealt with the mental elements of a panic attack. This article concerns the physical aspects of a panic attack and how they can be confused with heart attack symptoms.
For someone suffering through a anxiety attack, the physical symptoms appear to confirm the mental fears that include the thought that you might be having a heart attack, or going crazy. In many ways, these physical symptoms are indistinguishable from what most people think a heart attack is like.
Anxiety attack symptoms include:*
- A racing heart and/or chest pain.
- Difficulty breathing, or a choking sensation.
- Hyperventilation.
- Shivering, shaking.
- Hot flashes or chills.
- Nausea.
*Note: If you are experiencing any of these symptoms for the first time, please see your doctor as soon as possible. You want to rule out the possibility that you are suffering from some physical illness, rather than just a panic attack.
If you’ve have experienced panic attacks in the past, you know that they rarely last most than a few minutes. Of course, that knowledge doesn’t make it any easier. Panic attacks are debilitating. Still, at least you know it’s not a heart attack. For those who are experiencing their first anxiety attack, it’s good to know that there are no recorded instances of someone dying from a panic attack.
Here are some of the symptoms of a real heart attack from the American Heart Association. I’ve highlighted the important differences. However, I still advise seeing your doctor if the symptoms persist for longer than 10 minutes.
- Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest lasting more than a few minutes..
- Pain spreading to the shoulders, neck or arms. The pain may be mild to intense. It may feel like pressure, tightness, burning, or heavy weight. It may be located in the chest, upper abdomen, neck, jaw, or inside the arms or shoulders..
- Chest discomfort with lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath.
- Anxiety, nervousness and/or cold, sweaty skin.
- Paleness or pallor.
- Increased or irregular heart rate.
- Feeling of impending doom.
You can see why a panic attack can resemble a heart attack. Five of seven indicators are shared. If you are young, fit and healthy except for an anxious disposition, you can probably assume it’s not a heart attack. Otherwise, get it checked out by medical professionals.
Let’s assume you are suffering from anxiety attacks. Symptoms come on suddenly and panic flares like an out of control gasoline fire. What do you do?
If you’re driving, pull over to the side of the ride as soon as it is safe to do so. If you’re in a social situation, excuse yourself and find a quiet spot such as bathroom. Now, take the bull by the horns and ride it out until the panic passes. It will I assure you. But this is just a stop gap measure, a method of “coping” with a panic attack. You want a real solution.
Treatment methods fall into three camps: Prescription medications (antidepressants), natural remedies for anxiety (such as anxiety herbs), and therapy. Speaking from personal experience, I didn’t want to go the prescription drug route. I’ve worked in the pharmaceutical industry for over two decades, and I saw first hand the impact of side effects and adverse drug reactions.
I looked everywhere for solutions to my anxiety: natural remedies anxiety herbs with exotic names such as kava kava and St John’s Wort, a couple of glasses of Cabernet at dinner…all without long lasting success. I finally found what worked for me with a specific type of therapy. I found the information in books, but the same techniques are now available online in the form of DVDs, audio tapes and e-books.
If you would like to find out more, please visit my website by following the links below in the author’s resource box.
Best of luck with treating your anxiety attacks! Symptoms of anxiety attacks can be successfully and permanently treated.
To find out more about what worked for me with my anxiety, please visit http://myanxietyandpanicattacks.net.
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Anxiety and Panic Attack Symptoms by Charles Linden
