Anxiety Attacks, The Facts

Anxiety attacks are more common than most people  would suppose. Figures in the United States suggest that one in sixty of the population will experience just one attack in their lives.

They are twice as likely to occur in women than in men.

The sudden onset of extreme panic without any provoking stimulus is a feature of these anxiety attacks although some may be triggered by an existing phobia and in this instance, the attack will pass once this stimulus has been removed.

It is the severity of such attacks which differentiate them from more generalized anxiety problems.

Feeling scared and anxious is part of our life's experience and is a natural outcome of stressful encounters. They are what motivate us into improving or changing the situations in which we find ourselves, for example, during situations of extreme stress such as exams, violence, illness, etc.

However, when anxiety attacks begin to escalate and interfere with everyday life they become an urgent problem in need of help.

The physical nature of anxiety attacks

During an anxiety attack, intense feelings of fear precipitate a rush of adrenaline in the body, known as the 'fight or flight' response. It is nature's way of preparing us for combating danger but because the sufferer is in an extreme state of panic and not able to 'work off' the adrenaline, the resulting symptoms of anxiety create a vicious circle of fear, more adrenaline and therefore, more panic.

The almost paralyzing sense of fear during an anxiety attack is also compounded by trembling in the limbs, palpitations, sweating, dizziness, faintness, chest pain and shortness of breath. Some will also experience choking sensations, nausea and hyperventilation.

Help is available to sufferers of anxiety attacks in addition to the relief gained from medicinal drugs such as anti-depressants and tranquillisers.   For example, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy addresses ingrained negative thought processes, helping the sufferer  to alter their response to situations they have previously found stressful.

The various anxiety treatments

The Alexander Technique can bring relief by learning how to circumvent muscular tension, which can by itself, escalate into mental and emotional stress.

The Linden Method's 'Nine Pillars' method combines the use of various media including CDs, video, email, etc., to process the help sufferers need at the times they most crucially need it and this has proven extremely effective with long-term problems.

Hypnotherapy can help with panic attacks where a particular phobia is the root cause and may be combined with NLP, age regression or self-hypnosis. Flower remedies treat the personality type and 'presenting' problems of the sufferer and have also seen beneficial results.

For example, anxiety without a known cause responds well to Aspen and for severe anxiety disorder Cherry Plum or Red Chestnut are often prescribed.

Phobias and Anxiety Go Hand In Hand

Unfortunately, those who suffer from phobias can also suffer anxiety attacks, although the two do not have to go hand-in-hand. Those with generalized anxiety disorder can also suffer from acute anxiety attacks.

An anxiety attack can sometimes occur acutely, as a one-time situation, when a significant amount of stress is being experienced, such as if a loved one or child is hurt.

Many times, people will handle the emergency situation calmly and effectively, and then experience a severe anxiety attack afterward. Symptoms can include heart palpitations, tremors, fatigue, lack of appetite or overeating, digestive difficulties, trouble sleeping, and the like.

On its own, an isolated anxiety “attack” is not a disorder, as long as it is simply a reaction to a true emergency situation that has actually happened. However, anxiety attacks become problematic when they occur suddenly, apparently out of the blue, and have no apparent cause.

Many times, anxiety attacks’ cause or causes can be traced back to a situation of origin, such as having to rush a child to the emergency room because he or she was in an accident.

However, anxiety attacks can then occur if the parent becomes obsessed with his or her child being hurt again, and has anxiety attacks simply by thinking about this, because the parent’s sense of safety has been shaken.

If the obsession with the child being hurt increases or remains pervasive, or if this leads to a generalized fear and anxiety that was not present before, then the anxiety attacks may be more severe and need treatment

Sometimes, these anxiety attacks will dissipate over time, as the situation that caused them in the first place becomes more distant over time. However, if they do not, or if the pressures of life simply begin to cause regular occurrences of anxiety attacks, then it is possible that sufferers may need professional help.

Behavioral therapy has been found to be very helpful in treating anxiety attacks; this involves something such as immersion therapy, which involves confronting the situation that causes anxiety, slowly at first, and increasing intensity until it is fully confronted and then allowed to dissipate.

Medications have also been found to be effective for anxiety attacks. Medications such as benzodiazepines are often prescribed short-term for anxiety disorders, and are coupled with behavioral therapy, simply to give patients a jumpstart into treatment, so they feel better immediately and can concentrate on the behavioral therapy they may be receiving.

However, benzodiazepines are habit-forming and should only be used short term. Antidepressant medications can also be prescribed and are sometimes helpful, as are MAOIs. 

Want to boot your anxiety attacks into touch?

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