It is a frequent phrase in popular culture, especially among characters on television shows who are constantly stressed out. You have also been very stressed out lately, and it is obvious that the stress is taking is taking its toll. So, you want to know: what is an anxiety attack?

Know Your Family Medical History

Whether or not you are close to your family, it is important that you know what genetic tendencies are present within your family lineage. For example, just as heart problems can be genetically inherited, so can anxiety.

If you know of various members of your family, either past or present, having suffered from extreme anxiety, you are that much closer to figuring out what an anxiety attack is. This is because an anxiety attack can also be mistaken as a heart attack or an asthma attack.

So, what is an anxiety attack? Specifically, it can happen quite suddenly if you find yourself in a very stressful situation. For example, if you are at an amusement park, and are in line for a roller coaster that is known to be very steep, you might have an anxiety attack.

However, it is important to note that anxiety attacks can occur all of a sudden for no reason, and those are specifically referred to as panic attacks. When it comes to describing the specific symptoms of what an anxiety attack is, they can include: shaking, nausea, hot/cold flashes, sweating, and difficulty breathing.

If you want to know if what you have been experiencing lately is what an anxiety attack is, you should schedule an appointment with your doctor. At that time, you will be given a physical exam, as well as various blood tests. This is because sometimes anxiety can be caused by thyroid problems too.

Something else you should do in your attempt to figure out what an anxiety attack is in relation to what you have been experiencing is to think about what has been happening lately in your life. For example, anxiety attacks often occur among people who have suffered an emotional trauma, such as when a loved one dies. This could be the source of your anxiety attacks.

For more information on what an anxiety attack is, go to your local bookstore and look in the medical section. There are a number of books that have been written on the topic, and they can not only give more information on the symptoms, but also information on how to seek the proper treatment.

Panic attacks are incredibly common, but often time even people who are suffering from panic attacks are not sure what the problem is. This is why the question of what is a panic attack is so very important, and once you understand about what is a panic attack, you will be able to better understand your condition and how to deal with it.

What is a Panic Attack?

When it comes to the question of what is a panic attack, one of the first things that should be known is that a panic attack is basically uncontrollable. People who experience panic attacks usually cannot feel the attack coming on and, at least at the beginning, are not even sure why they are experiencing the attacks.

There are many symptoms that are associated with panic attacks, including dizziness, weakness, tingling or numbness, and even an impending sense of death or dying. Panic attacks are sudden and discrete periods of intense anxiety, which mount physiological arousal and fear.

The symptoms of a panic attack usually last about ten minutes, while some may be extended and can even last for hours. Panic attacks affect people differently, and so while one person may feel extreme discomfort from a panic attack, another may not even notice that they are experiencing one at all.

Panic attacks are a response of the sympathetic nervous system and the worst part is that the symptoms that are experienced are interpreted with alarm from the sufferer and as a result this causes increased anxiety and forms a positive feedback loop.

Treatment

Another of the most important issues in response to the question of what is a panic attack involves treatment. There are actually quite a few different options here that have proved to be effective, cognitive behavior therapy being one of the most commonly recommended. This is a psychotherapy that is based on modifying cognitions and beliefs with the aim of influencing disturbed emotions.

Relaxation and distraction techniques are often included here, and basically the objectives to this therapy are to identify irrational thoughts and beliefs and to identify how they are inaccurate and unhelpful. It can take a while to see results, but the important thing is that this therapy will help you find relief long term, rather than just temporarily.

If you are a panic attack sufferer, you may feel helpless and as though there is nothing you can do to feel better, but know that there are many people out there who are going to be willing and able to help you and forms of treatment that will offer you relief.