If you’ve ever felt this overwhelming sense of dread and hopelessness without any real threat of danger, you may be experiencing a panic attack. Panic attacks can onset quickly and last for seconds or minutes. Normally, multiple factors go into setting off a panic attack but sometimes one incident is enough to send someone over the edge. It’s good news that you can’t die from a panic attack even if you feel like it won’t end.
Overwhelming fear or anxiety is the definition of panic. Panic attacks are the result of being afraid or anxious about something real or imaginative. This feeling can be so overpowering that it takes complete control of your body and you feel as if you’re unable to do anything about it. For some people, the fear is so great, it’s paralyzing. During fear, your body sets off reactions that give you an increased heartbeat, respirations and a change in blood pressure.
This is also called the fight or flight experience. Your body releases adrenaline and your sense are heightened. A feeling of loss of control can grow from this. You may feel like you’re floating away or you’re going crazy. Some people feel like they are having a complete out of body experience. This happens from lack of oxygen to the brain from hyperventilating. When your brain doesn’t get enough oxygen you become light headed and feel as if you’re going to pass out.
This also causes your heart to pump more blood and beat faster. This can give you the feeling like you’re going to have a heart attack. More common symptoms are trembling in the hands, neck and knees. Excessive sweating is also another symptom that is associated with panic attacks. Knowing these symptoms are just your body’s natural response to certain conditions can help you to better fight these attacks. If you know that your heart right is going to elevate while having a panic attack you know that you’re not really having a heart attack.
The same can be said about a sense of floating away or a feeling of dizziness. You are not going crazy, you’re just not getting enough oxygen to the brain. You should slow your respirations to get your breathing in control. Take deep breaths through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Doing this will also keep you from hyperventilating.
Half the battle of beating panic attacks is to know what to look for. Now that you know symptoms of panic attacks you will be better prepared to fight off these horrible feelings. Take control of your life today with this information you now have.
Recovery is important and it helps you heal to know as much as you can about what’s wrong. Take what you’ve learned and fight back against your panic attacks. You can start living a healthier, stress free life now since you know what to look for.
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