A panic attack disorder is a frightening medical condition, accounting for over 20 percent of hospital emergency room visits.
But it is very difficult to describe a panic attack to someone who has never been through one.
When the medical community first started receiving these complaints from people, they paid little if any attention to them.
It was diagnosed only as stress or a bad case of nerves.
In fact, it wasn't until fairly recently - 1980 to be exact - that anxiety problems were recognized as a disorder by the American Psychiatric Association.
Although you probably know the definition of a panic attack disorder, let me tell you how the medical community describes it.
A panic attack itself is a sudden onset of overwhelming fear that comes upon you for no reason whatsoever.
This intense fear causes many physical symptoms.
When you're going through panic attack, your body releases adrenaline which flows throughout your system.
This adrenaline, sometimes known as epinephrine, induces your nervous system into stimulating the heart making it beat faster.
This is your body preparing you for the "fight or flight" alternative.
This served our ancestors very well when, as cavemen, they faced real physical danger, such as those saber tooth tigers.
But with a panic attack disorder, the real problem is that there is no real danger, it's only imagined.
You may even start having heart palpitations.
Although a rapid heartbeat is the most pronounced symptom of a panic attack, it's just one of many.
There are over a dozen indications that you may be going through such an attack.
These are:
But the thing all attacks have in common is that they all begin suddenly.
You can be feeling perfectly fine and then find yourself reaching the peak of your attack in just 10 minutes.
The length of the attack will vary from person to person.
For some individuals, it can be finished in 30 minutes.
However, for some others, it can go on for many hours.
In fact, in rare cases, attacks have been known to last all day long.
Remembering where your attack first happened is important, as another attack is likely to happen under the same circumstances.
For instance, if the first attack you had happened while riding in an elevator, you're certainly not going to look at an elevator the same way ever again.
In fact, the very next time you need to take an elevator, you might start feeling quite apprehensive.
You may start to wonder if this is the day you will suffer another attack.
Naturally, the more fearful you get the greater the odds are that an attack will occur.
Now you have developed the most telling sign of a panic attack disorder, worrying about when the next attack will happen.
But it is very difficult to describe a panic attack to someone who has never been through one.
When the medical community first started receiving these complaints from people, they paid little if any attention to them.
It was diagnosed only as stress or a bad case of nerves.
In fact, it wasn't until fairly recently - 1980 to be exact - that anxiety problems were recognized as a disorder by the American Psychiatric Association.
Although you probably know the definition of a panic attack disorder, let me tell you how the medical community describes it.
A panic attack itself is a sudden onset of overwhelming fear that comes upon you for no reason whatsoever.
This intense fear causes many physical symptoms.
When you're going through panic attack, your body releases adrenaline which flows throughout your system.
This adrenaline, sometimes known as epinephrine, induces your nervous system into stimulating the heart making it beat faster.
This is your body preparing you for the "fight or flight" alternative.
This served our ancestors very well when, as cavemen, they faced real physical danger, such as those saber tooth tigers.
But with a panic attack disorder, the real problem is that there is no real danger, it's only imagined.
You may even start having heart palpitations.
Although a rapid heartbeat is the most pronounced symptom of a panic attack, it's just one of many.
There are over a dozen indications that you may be going through such an attack.
These are:
- The sense you are dying
- Profuse sweating
- Breathing difficulties
- Choking sensation
- Hyperventilating
- Feeling faint
- Trembling
- Dizziness
- Chills or hot flashes
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Upset stomach
- Tightness or pains in your chest
But the thing all attacks have in common is that they all begin suddenly.
You can be feeling perfectly fine and then find yourself reaching the peak of your attack in just 10 minutes.
The length of the attack will vary from person to person.
For some individuals, it can be finished in 30 minutes.
However, for some others, it can go on for many hours.
In fact, in rare cases, attacks have been known to last all day long.
Remembering where your attack first happened is important, as another attack is likely to happen under the same circumstances.
For instance, if the first attack you had happened while riding in an elevator, you're certainly not going to look at an elevator the same way ever again.
In fact, the very next time you need to take an elevator, you might start feeling quite apprehensive.
You may start to wonder if this is the day you will suffer another attack.
Naturally, the more fearful you get the greater the odds are that an attack will occur.
Now you have developed the most telling sign of a panic attack disorder, worrying about when the next attack will happen.