Anxiety Attack: Signs, Causes, and Coping Strategies

One of the most prevalent mental illnesses is anxiety. About 40 million individuals in the US suffer from mental illness, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness ^[1*].

Anxiety often arises in reaction to a danger or when confronted with a difficult circumstance, such as a job interview or a public performance. In this instance, it heightens awareness and motivates action. However, anxiety might interfere with your daily life if it becomes worse. Let’s explore more about the signs of anxiety attacks and how to prevent them down below.

How Do You Feel During an Anxiety Attack?

The symptoms of an acute anxiety episode might differ from person to person. But there are other typical indicators, like

• The inability to breathe
• Pain in the chest
• Lightheadedness and dizziness
• Trembling or swaying
• Sickness
• Constriction in the stomach
• Warm flashes or shivers
• Sense of being cut off from the body
• Heart palpitations, or a rapid, hammering, or racing heart
• A sense of being in overdrive
• The crippling dread of passing away or becoming mad

A strong anxiety episode might peak after several minutes and then either gradually or suddenly fade. Additionally, anxiety attacks cause worry about having them again, which makes a person avoid places where they have previously happened.

The Distinction Between Anxiety and Panic Attacks

The physical and mental symptoms of a panic attack are similar to those of an anxiety attack, but their origins and intensities are different.

Stressful events or perceived warnings often trigger severe anxiety episodes. It may be felt just by thinking about going on a first date, going to a party, going to a job interview, etc. Anxiety symptoms often develop gradually as a result of recurrent thoughts about the impending event or its possible outcomes. They might continue for a while before intensifying and turning into an actual assault.

A panic attack ^[2*], on the other hand, develops more quickly and might happen without any obvious cause. The symptoms appear suddenly, spike quickly, and then subside over a few minutes. Professional assistance is advised in this situation since a patient with panic disorder may have recurring panic attacks and yet be unable to pinpoint their source.

Panic attacks and severe anxiety episodes both have the potential to lower quality of life. Mental health specialists can assist you in determining the underlying reasons for these symptoms, selecting suitable therapies, and learning about evidence-based self-help techniques.

Reasons

Anxiety attacks do not have one identifiable cause. A number of things may cause them, and it’s not always the same thing for the same individual.

Stress-related anxiety attacks are frequent, but it’s crucial to understand what could trigger such extreme stress. Among the causes are

• Grief and loss
• long-term medical condition
• money issues
• Relationship and family concerns
• Parenting’s obstacles
• pressure from the workplace or school
• changes in living circumstances, including relocating

Hazard Contributors

Some frequent risk factors associated with anxiety episodes include the following:

1. Genetics. There is evidence to support the theory that genetics has a role in anxiety disorders. If anxiety or panic disorder runs in your family, you may be at higher risk.
2. Personality Attributes. Anxiety attacks are more common in those who exhibit certain personality features. These characteristics include an overwhelming predisposition to worry, high levels of neuroticism, and perfectionism.
3. Medical Concerns. These include several illnesses ↗, including long-term ailments such as chronic pain as well as ailments of the respiratory, cardiovascular, and thyroid systems.
4. Drug abuse. Substances such as alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, and recreational drugs have the potential to either induce or exacerbate feelings of anxiety.
5. How the Brain Is Chemical. Anxiety disorders are considered to be exacerbated by abnormalities in the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. Individuals with changed brain chemistry can be more vulnerable to excruciating panic episodes.
6. The Natural World. These include having a stressful job, being in a chaotic or hazardous workplace, experiencing financial difficulties, or having a dysfunctional family.
7. Traumatic Childhood Experiences ↗. Neglect, exposure to violence, or physical, mental, or sexual abuse during one’s early years may all increase an individual’s risk of having anxiety disorders later in life.

How Can an Anxiety Attack Be Stopped?

If you receive an anti-anxiety medication, you can use it to manage severe symptoms. Alternatively, you can try mindfulness exercises, deep breathing, and muscle relaxation. On the other hand, there are a variety of coping mechanisms that you may use consistently over an extended period of time to either lessen or eliminate anxiety episodes.

Work out

One of the best practices for lowering stress, elevating happiness, and maintaining excellent health is exercise. The majority of medical specialists suggest that patients start small, like going for a 30-minute walk, and then gradually increase their level of exercise.

Reduce Your Use of Smoking and Caffeine

Caffeine and nicotine are known to provide an energy boost. Patients with anxiety disorders are often recommended to reduce their use of coffee and energy drinks since, while this energy may encourage them to be busy, it might exacerbate their illness.

Use Calming Methods

Most often, people suggest meditation, yoga, and visualization as alternatives. For example, when an anxiety attack begins, the sufferer may picture a peaceful, secure environment. In addition to helping people use critical and rational thinking and manage their emotions, breathing exercises and mindfulness practices may also help individuals feel less anxious or afraid.

Make Healthy Eating a Priority

Fruits, vegetables, proteins, fiber, and the right amount of water are all components of a nutritious diet. It gives all the nourishment required for the body and mind to operate properly and leaves one feeling renewed.

Make Enough Sleep

Sleep difficulties exacerbate two mental health disorders: anxiety and sadness. Fatigue brought on by insomnia and other sleep problems may trigger anxiety episodes. Getting between six and eight hours of sleep a night helps people feel relaxed and refreshed for the next day.

Maintain a Journal

Writing in your journal about your experiences, triumphs, and struggles may help you decompress. Reading about joyful memories or times you overcome challenges might assist when you feel like your life is falling apart during a severe anxiety attack. Maintaining a diary facilitates the tracking of effective coping mechanisms and triggers.

Know What to Do About Anxiety

An important component of treating anxiety disorders is psychoeducation. Talk to your doctor to learn more about the illness and recovery options. For those who suffer from anxiety, group therapy sessions may be helpful at times since they allow for the sharing of experiences and insightful advice.

Options for Treating Recurrent Anxiety Attacks

Treatment often consists of a mix of counseling, medication, and lifestyle changes.

Psychoanalysis

For anxiety episodes, talk therapy, also known as psychotherapy, is typically the first line of treatment. It may assist you in understanding the underlying reasons of the illness and in creating appropriate coping strategies. It also helps identify and change negative thinking patterns and behaviors that contribute to anxiety.

Drugs

Depending on how they work, medications may reduce anxiety in various ways. Typically, doctors recommend the following choices:

• SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are generally safe and don’t often have serious side effects. Among them are fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva), and sertraline (Zoloft).
• Medications known as serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are a subclass of antidepressants. A useful illustration of this is venlafaxine (Effexor XR).
• Benzodiazepines. These are central nervous system-depressing sedatives. Benzodiazepines include alprazolam (Xanax) and clonazepam (Klonopin).

Finally, when should you ask for help?

Although self-help techniques and routines are beneficial for maintaining your mental health, they are not always sufficient. If you notice that your anxiety attacks are becoming more severe or frequent, you should think about seeing a doctor to have your symptoms evaluated and to obtain appropriate treatment, such as medication or psychotherapy.