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How often do you hear people say that someone having a panic/anxiety attack just wanted attention. Nothing could be farther from the truth. While a panic, anxiety or worry attack is not the same as some traditional medical conditions, they are both a mental and physical disorder that must be taken very seriously. If you suffer from these symptoms, see a doctor immediately to get your condition under control.
As classified by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), all these disorders are technically under the umbrella of anxiety disorders. Other anxiety disorders include social phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and agoraphobia. Over 20 million people in the United States alone suffer from one form or another of anxiety.
– Panic disorder is characterized by reoccurring attacks that happen spontaneously and unexpectedly. A panic attack is an intense feeling of irrational fear that lasts over a period of some time. Symptoms of a panic attack may or may not include a pounding heart, chest pains, sweating, difficulty breathing, the fear of going crazy, shaking, cold or hot flashes, a choking sensation and nausea. One attack does not mean you should be diagnosed with panic disorder, but if this condition occurs a number of times and interrupts your life, you may want to see a doctor immediately.
Most people experience the unpleasantness of a panic attack at some point or other in their lives. While this may be a very uncomfortable experience, you should generally not be concerned unless the month following the panic attack leads to constant worry about possibly having another attack, constant worry about a condition that could be related to the attack or possible major changes in your lifestyle.
When you experience an attack, even for the first time, see a doctor. Take note of the symptoms you’ve experienced and the time and length of the attack. This information will help your doctor find the best treatment options available for you. Often, panic attacks occur simultaneously with other anxiety disorders, so being clear about your experiences will help your doctor to understand your experiences. Ask your doctor to start you off with natural solutions and only take medication if there are no other alternatives.
Remember, panic attacks are real. While there may be a few cases where people pretend to have attacks to get attention or for other reasons, this is not the norm. If someone around you is experiencing a panic attack, offer your help and call a doctor immediately to get help for the person.
– Anxiety and Worry are common sources of stress. Financial problems, health issues, family concerns, and the current state of affairs in our environment, can create an unhealthy amount of stress and worry when not addressed in a healthy manner.
A person may choose to cope with these types of situations in a variety of healthy or unhealthy ways. From denying the problem altogether, to attempting to “run away” or “hide” from the problem, an individual’s unique set of coping skills can either increase or decrease the level of stress they experience.
Many people employ denial to cope with life issues which present an unbearable amount of stress. This may happen in alcoholic families, domestic violence relationships, even in people facing severe illness or death. A person in denial simply says “everything is fine” and “nothing is wrong.”
Attempting to run away or hide from a stressful life event is often the mode of coping for those who use drugs or alcohol to “escape”, as well as those who simply “avoid” the problem. The individual who works too much, or the teenager who stays away from home for days at a time, are people attempting to escape the problem.
Procrastination can be a sign of worry and anxiety. Fear of “what will happen” if the person does face the problem, can lead to “putting off the inevitable.” This type of behavior also contributes to stress, as the unseen and unknown are often larger, in the mind, than in reality.
Facing issues head on may be difficult, but it is the healthiest way to handle situations that create worry, fear or anxiety. Getting answers, instead of speculating, and addressing problems, instead of denying, hiding or running away from them, is the only way to reduce the stress caused by these types of situations.
