What Exactly Is A Panic Attack?

If you feel like the world is closing in on you often, then the chances are good that you are experiencing panic attacks. Some people experience them daily and others get them infrequently. It can be quite devastating when panic attacks occur, regardless of how often it happens.

It is very important to seek treatment as soon as possible. These panic attacks usually appear suddenly and take the form of intense anxiety. Fear and uneasy feelings of not being well or comfortable are a sign.

The symptoms that occur depend on your mindset and your physiology. A panic attack can cause many different symptoms. You believe you are in harm’s way and your body will release adrenaline whenever you are having a panic attack. Likely you feel very upset and scared also.

The length of an attack can be anywhere from less than one minute to sometimes over a half hour. Sometimes a person even feels they need to go to a hospital while they are experiencing a panic attack. The reason for this is because it sometimes feels like you are having a heart attack or some other major problem with your health. The good news is that the attack normally cannot hurt you.

The bad news is that you feel as if your body is being attacked and you think you’re in some kind of danger. There is no single cause for why these attacks happen. Sometimes it is inherited from your family tree. Your changes of getting attacks are increased if somebody else in your family also get panic attacks. There are also illnesses that can contribute to an increase in panic attacks in some groups of people. Post traumatic stress disorder is one of these illnesses that can do this.

Hyperthyroidism also may cause panic attacks. Panic attacks can also be caused by events that have happened to you in your past.

It could be somethings as simple as something that scared you, a situation even years ago, and now when you are in a similar situation you experience the attacks. They sometimes are also a side-effect of some medications, like ritalin for example, has sometimes been known to lead to panic attacks.

Antidepressants from the SSRI group have also been known to increase anxiety and panic attacks. One of the first and best steps you can take in dealing with these attacks is to understand what they are and what may be causing them. Panic attacks can be very devastating to some people and also interfere with almost every part of your life, so they are not to be taken lightly. By taking steps, action, today, you can begin to be rid of them and lead a normal life again.

Tagged with: Antidepressant • Anxiety • Disorders • Panic attack

Filed under: Panic attack

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