Having an anxiety or panic attack can be a frightening, exhausting experience. Once you have experienced an anxiety attack, you will dread the idea of ever having one again. In fact, you will want to do everything in your power to avoid them. Anxiety attacks are accompanied by a number of tell-tale physical, emotional and psychological symptoms.

But, how do you know if you have had a real anxiety or panic attack? How do you know what are the normal symptoms of such an attack?

Here are 6 signs and symptoms of generalized anxiety and anxiety attacks:

1. You are constantly tense, worried or on edge

People who experience generalized anxiety are those who always seem to be on edge, worried, or tense. They might constantly have the feeling that something bad is going to happen to them, especially when they are in public places. But, generalized anxiety can be exacerbated by being in almost any situation, whether alone at home or in public. You may have generalized anxiety if you feel particularly anxious and concerned when spending time around a lot of people, being in public places, or being in open spaces.

2. Your anxiety interferes with your responsibilities

Most of us have responsibilities such as work, school or taking care of family. If your general sense of anxiety actually gets in the way of your ability to carry out these tasks, you likely have a serious problem with anxiety. In other words, if you cannot perform these essential tasks at 100% capacity and to the best of your ability, you may have an anxiety-related problem that needs attention.

3. You are plagued by irrational fears

When you wake up in the morning, do you often think about all of the potentially bad things that could happen to you that day? Do you imagine, for example, getting stuck in an elevator, being trapped in a public space with a lot of strangers, or otherwise having things happen to you that would cause you to lose control of yourself or your situation? While of course any of these things could happen, fearing them constantly is not a rational act. If you are plagued by these types of fears, it is likely you have a serious issue with anxiety.

4. You experience sudden bouts of heart-pounding panic

Generalized anxiety, as well as other causes, can lead to actual anxiety attacks. These attacks are characterized by having sudden episodes whereby your heart starts beating faster and your breathing rate increases dramatically. The attack may last from 10 to 30 minutes or longer, although it may feel like an eternity given the extremely negative physical, emotional and psychological feelings that accompany it.

5. You experience other tell-tale physical symptoms

Other tell-tale physical symptoms of an anxiety attack include a pounding heart, sweating, upset stomach, numbness of limbs or chest, shortness of breath, tremors, muscle tension, fatigue, and insomnia.

6. You experience common psychological symptoms

In the midst of a severe anxiety attack, a lot of irrational thoughts may start running like a freight train through your head. For example, you may fear that you are going to lose control or go crazy. You may also feel like you are going to pass out. And, even when you are not having an actual attack, you may constantly live in fear of having another one. Paradoxically, this fear can actually increase your chances of having another attack.

The symptoms of generalized anxiety and of an anxiety attack are unmistakable. If you have been through an attack, you will likely not forget it. The good news is that there are ways to educate yourself about how to avoid future attacks.

The hustle and bustle of modern life has caused a near epidemic of chronic anxiety. Many experts believe that upwards of 50% of the population suffers periodic bouts of debilitating anxiety symptoms, and all too often, doctors attempt to treat these conditions with medications. Many of these anti-anxiety medications have detrimental side effects and even withdrawal symptoms, but fortunately, there are also natural remedies for anxiety that can calm the inner turmoil and restore balance to life.

While many experts dispute the idea that anxiety is a “disorder,” nearly everyone agrees that dealing with a chronic anxiety problem reduces our ability to function effectively in the world, and can even negatively affect the immune system.

The most common symptoms of anxiety include irritability, chronic worrying, insomnia, feelings of panic, grinding teeth, tightness in the chest, heart palpitations, shallow breathing and stomach discomfort. It is important to note that these are just a few of the more common symptoms; a complete list of possible anxiety symptoms would likely number well into the thousands, as every unique individual experiences anxiety in a slightly different way.

In North America, the most common way to treat anxiety issues involves the use of medications. But natural remedies for anxiety are often more effective, and have the advantage of not producing the unwanted side effects or withdrawal symptoms. The following herbs and natural remedies have all shown promise in decreasing, or in some cases eliminating, anxiety.

Kava. Kava is a natural herb that has been used as a remedy for anxiety for decades in Europe. This natural treatment has been studied in several university sponsored trials in Europe, and the evidence suggests that it can be effective in controlling anxiety. However, because of recent concerns about Kava’s effect on the liver, the herb is now less frequently used in Europe, though it is still available in the United States in lower dosages.

Skullcap. Skullcap is a natural herb that has traditionally been used as a remedy for anxiety. Although there is only limited research available on its effectiveness, one double-blind, placebo controlled study found that skullcap was effective in reducing anxiety levels.

Passionflower. Passionflower is another herb that shows promise in treating chronic anxiety. One clinically controlled study compared passion flower to Oxazepam in 36 individuals reporting generalized anxiety symptoms. Although the results of the trial showed that Oxezepam relieved anxiety more quickly, Passionflower was found to be equally effective over a four-week period. Passionflower also showed no significant side effects or withdrawal symptoms.

Melatonin. Melatonin supplements have been studied extensively for their ability to promote restful sleep. In the past few years, melatonin has also been the subject of anxiety research. One study found that melatonin was as effective as prescription anti-anxiety medication in relieving pre-surgery stress in women. Smaller studies have shown similar results for both women and men.

Besides these and other natural remedies for anxiety, there are also alternative treatment options including acupuncture, biofeedback, relaxation therapies, meditation, guided visualization, and aromatherapy. Unfortunately, most of these alternatives have not been studied at length, and therefore it is difficult to assess exactly how effective any specific treatment may be. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that relaxation therapy and guided visualization can significantly improve both chronic anxiety and panic attacks. Used in conjunction with other natural remedies for anxiety, these alternative treatments show great promise.

Depression is a disorder that does not get nearly enough attention. Depressed people are often told to “cheer up” or to “look at the bright side” of things, and may spiral even deeper when they are unable to simply snap out of the mood that has such a hold on them. While depression can often lead to fatigue and listlessness, it has a close cousin by the name of anxiety. Anxiety causes the opposite effect, putting our bodies into the “fight or flight” mode that protected us in the wild.

Anxiety attacks can feel like heart attacks, and even at more moderate levels, anxiety can have a dangerous and very negative effect on our lives and on our quality of living. Anxiety can also lead into depression, when a sense of worry and fear for the future leads into the sense of helplessness and hopelessness. That is a classic symptom of depression. Depression and anxiety are often seen together, and can sometimes lead into one another.

Anxiety is a way of describing a certain way of feeling. It may represent a sense of fear, dread, or a sense that you are in immediate danger, even when you are safe and have no reason to feel this way. There are several different kinds of anxiety disorders, including phobias or irrational fears, situational anxiety, panic disorders, generalized anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorders among others.

These disorders can lead to a state of almost constant high stress, and can affect your daily life much to the worse. You may be unable to function in certain situations, or you may come to fear leaving your own home, and if untreated, the symptoms of anxiety disorders can lead to many of the same problems as depression, including insomnia or a reluctance or fear to leave the house or to be around other people.

Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety symptoms can also feel like heart attacks, with palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pains, and more. You might begin trembling and shaking, your mouth might go dry, and you might become dizzy from the stress of the situation. The body becomes “hyped up” by your reaction to the situation, and your senses go into a sort of overdrive that is unlike the depression of the system that happens when you suffer from clinical depression.

Depression disorder actually slows the body in some ways, making you feel sluggish rather than ready to run or fight, and hopeless rather than actively panicked or fearful. If you have been suffering from anxiety attacks, the attacks themselves may lead into depression because of the hopelessness that you feel at the hands of the attacks and because of the fears that are associated with possibly having another attack.

If your anxiety symptoms have changed to include listlessness, a disinterest in things that used to engage you, or feelings of hopelessness and self-loathing, then you may now be suffering from depression disorder, and should be treated accordingly for your medical condition.

Depression is not a constant state of being, nor is anxiety. You might think that because you have a good number of “good days” that your depressive days are just bad moments that will pass, however depression can become worse over time if it is not treated and taken care of, and can lead to suicide if left untreated long enough.

Anxiety and Depression Treatments

Anxiety can worsen over time as well if it is not handled properly. There are ways to help with anxiety even without medication. Therapies are different depending on the type of anxiety that affects you and on the level of anxiety that you suffer. For a phobia, you might be exposed at increasing levels to the thing that you are afraid of. Other therapies might require talking your problems out, and others might just provide techniques to help you ride out your panic attacks and get on with life without letting them affect you more than necessary.

Depression treatments are also varied, mostly depending on your own personal preference. Medication can provide you with an effective way of dealing with depression; however medication is not for everyone. If you are not interested in medication, then you might consider other kinds of therapies with a psychologist who has experience working with depression.

Depression and anxiety are related disorders that can have a huge impact on your overall health and quality of life if left untreated. However, both are manageable conditions that do not have to have an effect on your daily life.

Anxiety disorder is capable of destroying your life if not treated immediately. Luckily it is possible to live free from anxiety for the remainder of your life.

Have you ever felt anxious about something for any reason? Or, feeling anxious or worried in the times of stressful situations? It is ok to feel what you feel as long as you have rational reasons to validate your feelings.

Anxiety is a normal response to any stressful event and it helps you deal with that situation. But, when anxiety becomes too much that it can affect your day to day activities and peace of mind, it becomes an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety disorder is excessive anxiety and worry about events or activities, which occurs most often than not in most days for at least six months. A person who has anxiety disorder finds it difficult to control the feelings of worry and fear.

The anxiety, worry, or the physical symptoms of anxiety disorder can cause considerable suffering or harm on the important areas of daily life activities. Some of the common types of anxiety disorders include separation anxiety, social anxiety or phobia, selective mutism, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PSTD), panic disorder, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, and specific phobia.

Each of these anxiety disorders has different symptoms, but the entire symptoms revolve around excessive, unreasonable fear and dread.

Separation anxiety is defined as developmentally improper and excessive anxiety relating to separation from home or to someone you are so attached with. Social anxiety or phobia is generally understood as extreme fear in the face of social interaction.

Selective mutism is the consistent failure to speak in specific social situations where you are expected to render speech. OCD is an illness wherein you have recurrent and unwanted urge to do something to relieve your discomfort. PST is an incapacitating condition that follows a terrifying event (persistent terrifying thoughts).

Panic disorder is categorized as recurrent brief episodes of intense fear that are accompanied by many physical symptoms, like heart palpitations and dizziness, even without external threat. Agoraphobia is defined as an incapacitating fear of open spaces, resulting to avoidance of crowds, and open public places.

General anxiety disorder is described by diffuse feelings of apprehensions with physiological symptoms. Specific phobia is a feeling of intense, irrational fears towards certain things, like closed-in places, heights, water, etc.

If you think you have an anxiety disorder, the first person you should see is your family doctor. A physician can determine whether the symptoms that bother you are due either to anxiety disorder or other medical condition, or both.

If indeed you are diagnosed to have anxiety disorder, the next step you should do is definitely see a mental health professional whom you are comfortable talking with.

Clearly, in order for you to be treated for this condition, you and your doctor should work together as a team and make a plan to cure you from anxiety disorder. Don’t let this condition ruin your mood, activities, or your life in general.

Get immediate treatment the soonest possible time once you think that you might have an anxiety disorder. The sooner you get the treatment, the sooner you will feel better and be able to enjoy life to the full.

Having anxiety and panic attacks are scary. What’s even scarier is not know the signs and symptoms of an anxiety and panic attack. So, what I’m going to do is share with you some signs and symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks.

That way, you will know when you’re having an attack and what you should do in order to stop it from happening.

There are three types of signs and symptoms that you should know about. They are mental, perpetual, and physical signs and symptoms.

Mental Signs and Symptoms Of Anxiety and Panic Attacks

After experiencing an anxiety and panic attack, most people often times have severe mental symptoms. The symptoms will leave you thinking irrationally or having racing thoughts. You’ll have thoughts of things not being real, you feel like you’re going insane, or you have thoughts about bad things happening.

Perpetual Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety and Panic Attacks

When you experience an anxiety and panic attack, your perception of yourself and the world is altered drastically. You may experience tunnel vision, the feeling of dissociation, your senses will heightened, or the perceived speeding up and slowing down of time.

Physical Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety and Panic Attacks

This sign and symptom is the most common of all the other signs and symptoms. They are the most recognizable. The signs and symptoms of an anxiety and panic attack is an increase in heart rate and a feeling of tightness in your chest or stomach.

The tightness in your chest may lead to heart palpitations, headaches, hyperventilation, and dizziness.

The tightness in your stomach may lead to nausea or stomach pains.

These are the signs and symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks. If you experience any of these signs and symptoms, you need to do something about it. If you wait too long, you will only make things worse. And it could be fatal to your health.

Psychological therapies are a much more effective anxiety cure than medications. It is perfectly normal for people to experience anxiety occasionally. It makes us cope with very stressful situations. However when anxiety becomes too much and develops into irrational fear of everyday circumstances, it becomes a debilitating anxiety disorder. Unlike mild anxiety caused by a stressful event, anxiety disorder lasts at least 6 months and may worsen if not properly and immediately treated.

The best way to an anxiety cure is to completely understand the anxiety condition. Anxiety is a troubled state of mind. Anxiety results from fearful thinking of future events situations or conditions. It is a condition that is not accidental, unknown, or uncontrollable, and it occurs for specific reason and has an underlying reason why it persists. An important method to attain a cure from anxiety is education. Following are some helpful tips towards anxiety cures which can hopefully aid in taking control over your own emotions again.

Relaxation techniques – a person feeling anxious most of the time has trouble relaxing, however learning how to release muscle tension is an important anxiety cure. Relaxation techniques include: abdominal breathing exercises, regular muscle relaxation, and meditation.

Proper breathing techniques – the symptoms of anxiety may be triggered in reaction to hyperventilation or rapid breathing, which raises oxygen levels and lowers the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood. A person with anxiety condition should know how to breathe from their diaphragm, and not to breathe from their chest, as this helps to prevent against hyperventilation. Learning this technique can help you calm down while feeling anxious.

Cognitive therapy is a technique which focuses on altering patterns of thinking and beliefs which can be associated with triggering anxiety. The idea behind cognitive therapy is that ideas can trigger thoughts, this can then trigger feelings, and finally manifest the feelings of anxiety. Cognitive therapy strategies can include rational self-talk, training on attention, reality testing cognitive challenging, and cognitive restructuring. This method involves carefully monitoring your thoughts, challenging fears and beliefs, and comparing your nagative thoughts against reality.

Behaviour therapy can also be useful, and the major component of behavior therapy is exposure. The theory behind Exposure therapy is one of deliberately confronting your fears in order to become desensitized. This Exposure lets you to redefine the danger or fear aspect of the situation or trigger.

Medication – is important to see medication as a short-term measure, and not a complete cure for anxiety disorder. Many studies have shown that psychological therapies are much more likely to be effective than drugs in managing anxiety disorder in the long run. Brief course of tranquilizers or antidepressants may be prescribed by your doctor to help you deal with the symptoms.

Dietary adjustments – inadequate intake of vitamin B and calcium can worsen anxiety symptoms. In addition nicotine, caffeine, and stimulant drugs should be avoided as they can create activity in the adrenaline glands and release adrenaline, one of the main stress chemicals.

Exercise is important as it burns up stress chemicals and promotes relaxation. You should attempt to plan some physical activities at least 3 to 4 times a week and vary your activities to avoid boredom.

Although some methods can be effective in curing anxiety, but the level of recovery depends on the participation and willingness of the person with the anxiety condition. The sooner you can get treatment, the better are the chances that you will overcome your anxiety and feel healthy again.

Anxiety is a common emotion like happiness, sadness and anger, however when anxiety becomes uncontrollable or excessive, it becomes a problem or disorder. Anxiety becomes uncomfortable when coupled with increased heart beat, increased blood pressure, too much fear and panic. Anxiety disorder is a mental state that can interfere with your daily life and very disabling. You have to know anxiety panic attack relief to survive attacks and learn how to manage your anxiety. Symptoms of anxiety may be experienced with major changes in your life like loss or death of someone you love, divorce or broken relationships and too much stress at work or school.

Before learning anxiety panic attack relief, you must learn how to recognize anxiety attacks symptoms. Common symptoms of anxiety attacks are chest pain, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, uncontrollable sweating, increased heart rate, trembling, excessive fear or feeling of going crazy, choking sensation and dizziness. Imagine feeling all of these things and if you cannot learn about anxiety panic attack relief, these symptoms are very disabling and can interfere with your daily life.

The first step to learn anxiety panic attack relief is to believe that you have the ability to take control. Anxiety disorder is not a disease it’s a state of mind that can be controlled. The body responds to the messages sent to it by your mind, even if the situation is totally safe but your mind interprets it as unsafe, your body will respond to what you think. The first step in anxiety panic attack relief is changing the way you think. During anxiety attacks, tell to yourself “I will be alright, this cannot harm me and I will feel better.” Your mind and the way you think can control your anxiety physical symptoms. Changing your negative thoughts to positive thoughts will decrease and eliminate your physical symptoms.

Breathing exercises is another anxiety panic attack relief that you can do. During anxiety attacks you experience hyperventilation or you are breathing faster causing dizziness, shortness of breath and other anxiety disorder symptoms. By changing the way you breathe during attacks you can lessen your symptoms. Deep and slow breathing will help you to feel more relax and calm. Take a deep breathe through your nose, hold it for 3 seconds and exhale slowly.

While it is important to know anxiety panic attack relief during attacks it is best to consult the experts to cure your anxiety disorder. Anxiety panic attack relief is just an immediate relief to lessen or eliminate your symptoms temporarily. It is best to find remedy and cure for your anxiety disorder and get rid of your symptoms permanently. Did you know that there are people who cured their anxiety disorder permanently? To know more about anxiety and panic attack cure visit Cure Anxiety and Panic Disorder



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Because people are different anxiety disorder symptoms may vary from person to person.

Worry, fear, and anxiety are a normal part of our life. Have you experienced feeling anxious before taking an exam and later find out that you got a higher result more than what you’ve expected? Or, feeling anxious for a job interview and ended up getting hired, or feeling frightened walking down an alley where bad things often happened? Normal anxiety helps us cope in any stressful situation, it also keeps us watchful.

Mental health professional are not concerned with normal anxiety. But, if your anxiety suddenly occur without apparent reason and lasts for weeks to months and happens in most days than not, that is another issue. If anxiety persists in most days than not, and takes longer than six months, it has become an immobilizing disorder.

An anxiety disorder is a recurring and excessive anxiety and worry about events or activities without logical reasons at all lasting for more than six moths and it is interfering with everyday activities, such as going to work, and socializing. A person experiencing anxiety condition finds it difficult to control the feelings of worry and fear. The thing about people with anxiety disorder is that they actually know that what they think of feel is not real and that they are just made-up.

The common anxiety disorders are Panic Disorder, Social Phobia, Agoraphobia, Specific Phobia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Separation Anxiety, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, and Selective Mutism.

A person with anxiety condition may suffer different anxiety disorder symptoms. And because no two individuals are the same, the anxiety disorder symptoms may vary from one person to the other.

The physical symptoms of anxiety disorder are cause by brain sending messages to parts of the body to prepare for the flight-to-fight response. The lungs, heart, and other parts of the body work faster and the brain releases stress hormones, including adrenaline, and that explains that physical symptoms.

Anxiety disorder symptoms may experience physically can include but not limited to:

-Abdominal discomfort

-Diarrhea

-Dry mouth

-Rapid heartbeat or palpitations

-Tightness or pain in chest

-Shortness of breath

-Dizziness

-Frequent urination

-Difficulty swallowing

Anxiety disorder symptoms may experience psychologically can include:

-Insomnia

-Irritability

-Inability to concentrate

-Fear of going crazy or dying

-Feeling unreal and not in control of your behavior

There are several types of anxiety disorders and sometimes they are associated with physical problem such alcohol and drug abuse. Anxiety is the main symptoms of other mental illness called anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorder symptoms may differ from the symptoms of other anxiety disorders, but all the symptoms cluster around excessive, irrational fear and dread.

For people with anxiety condition, cheer up! Your world does not stop there because there is cure for anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are curable and there are two types of treatments available for anxiety disorder- medication and psychotherapy. But, it is said that the proven most effective way to treat anxiety sufferers is psychotherapy.

Anxiety disorders are the most common of emotional disorders, annually affecting more than 20 million Americans. Anxiety which interferes with normal activities like going outside or interacting with other people. Anxiety attacks are the most extreme example of an anxiety reaction. Anxiety disorders fill people’s lives with overwhelming anxiety and fear. When anxiety reaches a level at which the symptoms cause the sufferer to experience symptoms which exceed those normally experienced during an appropriate anxiety reaction, an anxiety attack is formed. Anxiety reactions are formed in the subconscious mind by a small organ called the Amygdala. Anxiety attacks can be eliminated very simply. Because anxiety attacks and high anxiety are the result of a learning process in the subconscious mind which causes the amygdala to react inappropriately, it can be ‘un-learned’ in the same way. Anxiety attacks are strong sensations that for many people creates the feeling of dying or going crazy. Anxiety attacks, also called panic attacks, are unexpected episodes of intense terror or fear. Anxiety disorders tend to run in families. People with anxiety disorders often have a family history of anxiety disorders, mood disorders, or substance abuse.

Anxiety attacks usually come without warning, and although the fear is generally irrational, the perceived danger is very real. Symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks / anxiety attacks include racing heart, hyperventilation or breathing difficulties, as well as chest pain, nausea or dizziness, headaches, shaking and trembling, and many more. Anxiety can also exacerbate many pre-existing medical conditions, such as ulcers, hypertension, and respiratory conditions including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Furthermore, anxiety is associated with mitral valve prolapse, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, irritable bowel syndrome, and chronic tension headaches. Behavioural therapy – performed with a mental health professional to help gain control over unwanted behaviour. Cognitive therapy – similar to behavioural therapy but dealing with unhelpful and unproductive thoughts patterns.Anxiety medications can be habit forming and may have unwanted side effects, so be sure to research your options.

Medication – A short prescription of benzodiazepine tablets, such as diazepam, may be helpful in relieving short-term stress-related anxieties. Beta blockers are the best drug class to control physical symptoms of anxiety & panic attack and are normaly prescribed to prevent rapid heartbeat, shaking and trembling related symptoms. Buspirone is another medicine that is prescribed in the short-term to relieve anxiety. Antidepressants such as paroxetine may be prescribed for certain anxiety disorders such as generalised anxiety disorder, social phobia and OCD, and when anxiety is associated with depression. Group therapy – with one or two specialised therapists, particularly helpfully for certain conditions such as difficultly relating to others or being scrutinised by others. Psychoeducation – recognition by the patient that they have a treatable medical condition, and self-education through books and websites, and mental health professionals.

Anxiety and Anxiety Attacks Treatment Tips

1. Cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) is very effective in the treatment of anxiety disorders.

2. Medication is sometimes used in the short-term to alleviate severe symptoms so that other forms of therapy can be pursued.

3. Relaxation techniques – Relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation, controlled breathing, and guided imagery may reduce anxiety.

4. Biofeedback – Using sensors that measure physiological arousal brought on by anxiety.

5. Hypnotherapy – Hypnosis for anxiety is conducted by a clinical hypnotherapist.

An anxiety attack, sometimes referred to as a panic attack, can be a very terrifying experience. The symptoms of anxiety attacks can be very confusing as usually the person has no idea as to why their body is reacting in the manner it is.

If you have experienced some of these unusual symptoms (below) while experiencing anxiety let me help you to understand it better and try and put your mind at ease.

Firstly, anxiety attacks are very treatable. It is very important that you speak with your doctor if you are experiencing these anxiety attack symptoms in order to receive an accurate diagnosis. Getting your anxiety symptoms investigated after you first experience them will help reassure you that nothing more serious might be wrong.

So what are the typical anxiety attack symptoms?

The most common symptoms of anxiety attacks are: palpitations, pounding heart or an accelerated heart rate, sweating, trembling or shaking, and shortness of breath. Other symptoms may include a choking sensation, chest pain or discomfort, nausea or stomach cramps, a feeling of being dizzy, unsteadiness, and lightheadedness or feeling faint.

Sufferers might also experience a sense of unreality, depersonalization (a feeling of being detached from oneself), fear of losing control or going crazy, fear of dying, numbness or a tingling sensation, chills or hot flashes.

These are some of the possible symptoms of a anxiety attack but what does it actually feel like to experience one?

Usually an anxiety attack begins with an unusual bodily sensation from the list above. The person then reacts with fear that the symptoms are indicators of a much more serious threat and in turn reacts with more fear which escalates into a state of heightened anxiety. A vicious cycle of anxiety and fear can begin.

Typical situations people report having an anxiety attack are: while driving, in airplanes, in crowded areas, and at night while sleeping.

Often anxiety attacks occur in a situation where the person feels they cannot exit easily from a meeting or social outing with others. Many can also experience an anxiety attack for no apparent reason while at home or in the middle of sleep.

People who first experience these symptoms often feel a sense of foreboding. They might think that there is something terribly wrong with their health. This is understandable as anyone who has experienced an anxiety attack can tell you how unusual the bodily sensations are.

What initially may have been a once off out of the blue anxiety attack can develop into a perpetual cycle of fear and anxiety if not treated. This cycle can last from weeks to years depending on how much help the person receives.

I want to point out that anxiety attacks are not a mental illness. The great news is that this disorder is very treatable. You do not have to fear you will spend your life living with this condition.

More often than not, the symptoms of anxiety attacks cause people to worry that there is some larger problem lurking behind the unusual sensations. If you have experienced anxiety attack symptoms, do not convince yourself that you have a clinical illness. Most likely you do not.

Experiencing anxiety attacks and their associated symptoms does not mean that you have a physical or mental illness. Your brain is fine; your body is fine. You can return to a more relaxed level of living if you follow the steps and psychological techniques I am going to outline for on this site.

Learn to trust is your body. Yes, it may be experiencing a wide range of strange anxiety attack symptoms but it is well able to handle this. During an anxiety attack many of the symptoms are similar to those of a really good workout: increased heartbeat rate, sweating, increased bodily sensations and rapid breathing.

You do not become fearful of these symptoms while exercising and therefore you should not fear them should they be present while experiencing anxiety. The fuel that really drives the anxiety symptoms is anxious thinking. The “what if” thoughts that appear during an anxiety attack create the powerful drive that fuels the anxiety much longer than it would normally last.

What if I have a heart attack? What if my mind loses control? What if I do something crazy or faint?What if I cannot get out of here?

In order to extinguish the fuel that drives the anxiety attack we need to eliminate these anxious thoughts. Tackling anxious thinking effectively requires a two-pronged approach.

To eliminate the negative thinking patterns there needs to be a shift in attitude along with specific visualization tools.