Conquering Anxiety Attacks
Author: Samantha Key

A few years ago, I was at work one afternoon when all of a sudden I felt as though I couldn't breathe. My chest was tight and my ears felt as though water was rushing through them. I began to cry, which is something I almost never do. My co-workers wanted to call an ambulance, but I didn't want to make a scene. I allowed two of them to take me to a nearby emergency room.

Once there, my blood pressure was taken. It was 180/110. Tests were done and it was determined that I had experienced my first anxiety attack. Confused, I tried to understand what had caused those terrible feelings. It seemed to have come out of nowhere.

The next day, around the same time, I began to feel the symptoms of an anxiety attack again: difficulty breathing, tight chest, shaking, fear of losing control. Luckily, I had done some research and learned that once you've had an anxiety (or panic) attack, you are more likely to have another one, especially at the same time of day the last one occurred. This is known as an anticipatory attack.

I struggled to remember how to stop an anxiety attack from recurring: taking deep breaths, reducing my intake of caffeine, and trying to eat a healthy diet. Sometimes medications are needed, and my family doctor determined that I needed an anti-anxiety medication to help me get past this first stage of dealing with anxiety. Day by day, when the afternoon rolled around, I was able to control my stress level and not let it go into a full-blown anxiety attack. Eventually, those feelings went away and I have not had another attack since.

Anxiety attacks are prevalent in persons with a high stress level. They also can be found to occur in substance abusers. Family history plays a part, as they can be hereditary. They can also be an indicator of abnormalities in the brain.

Anxiety attacks are a real disorder. Unless a person has experienced one, he or she may have trouble understanding the severity of the situation. Research shows that over two million Americans are affected by these attacks and that women are twice as affected as men are.

Once a person has experienced an anxiety attack, he or she may avoid the activity which is perceived to have triggered the attack. This can wreak havoc on both professional and person aspects of life. If the avoidance isn't explored and treated right away, agoraphobia (fear of being in crowds, public places, or open areas) may occur.

Psychotherapy is a recommended treatment for anxiety attacks. Most attacks are caused by emotional triggers. Getting to the cause is more important than simply treating the symptoms. Medication is also an effective treatment, especially when used in conjunction with psychotherapy. There are prescriptions for controlling anxiety as well as controlling your heart rate.

With appropriate treatment ninety percent of people find relief from these attacks. Untreated, your quality of life can be severely impaired. The important message is that it is a real disorder and that treatment is available for anxiety attacks.

 

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