Before we can address what an anxiety attack is, it would be better if we first define what is anxiety. Anxiety is a normal thing that all of us experience. It is how our bodies react to stress and it helps us deal with tense situations that we face in our everyday lives. Theses tense situations could come from our home, office, school or just about anywhere we are faced with difficult or challenging situations. This anxiety we feel helps us to deal with and overcome these everyday problems.

Panic or anxiety attacks occur when we sense an overwhelming fear that comes without any obvious reason and often times without any warning. It is far more intense than the anxiety we are faced with everyday or the feelings we have of being "stressed out". Statistics have shown 1.7% of the adult population of the world will experience a panic attack at least one time in their lives. If you find yourself in this category, you are not alone, but help is on the way!

Panic Attack Symptoms - What are the symptoms of an attack?

The most prevalent Panic Attack Symptom was mentioned already, an overwhelming feeling of fear. This fear can lead you to believe that you're going crazy or are about to die, it is that debilitating.

Some other Panic Attack Symptoms may include an increased heart rate and palpitations, difficulty with breathing, tingling in the extremities, hot flashes or chills, sweating, shaking and chest pains. Obviously, these symptoms are shared by many other medical conditions, hence the misdiagnosis that often takes place with anxiety attacks. There are certain medical conditions whose symptoms might resemble that of an anxiety attack, but if these reasonable causes are determined NOT to be the cause of the symptoms, then there does exist the possibility of a treatable panic disorder or condition.

Panic Attack Symptoms - What are the treatments?

Most people who suffer from Panic Attack Symptoms can be helped with the proper treatment. Therapy for those who have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder will sometimes involve medication or psychotherapy.

Medications are not cures for anxiety disorders, though they can be effective in treating the symptoms. There are many different medications available to help those with anxiety disorders, so if one particular drug is not working, there are many alternatives to choose from. One must be careful in the use of medications, because every medication has side effects. If side effects become a problem, your doctor will most likely advise you to stop taking the medication and then wait to allow the drug to diminish from your body before beginning another treatment.

Behavior therapy has recently taken center stage in dealing with anxiety disorders. This type of therapy focuses on changing a specific tendency or action in a person's life which can lead to an anxiety attack. It may involve several steps to decrease or stop the unwanted behavior, but this therapy has proven to be very helpful with most anxiety attack sufferers.

For the person who suffers from anxiety attacks, it is important to understand what is happening and to recognize the symptoms. It is equally important to know your treatment options. There are many avenues to investigate in seeking help, but help is on the way!