Why Do Panic Attacks Happen?

Though panic attacks generally appear to take place at random, they are actually a part of a natural human response commonly known as “fight or flight” that just happen to take place out of turn. Fight or flight reflexes inundate the body with hormones (including adrenaline) that are intended to help it protect itself from danger. It has been said that suffering a panic attack is one of the scariest, most distressing and uncomfortable experiences a human being can endure.

You can stop panic attacks naturally without medication.

What are the Signs of an Attack?

Below is a list of the most common panic attack symptoms. Diagnostic criteria for a true attack state that at least four of the below symptoms must be experienced, that the symptoms must have been developed abruptly, and that they must have reached a peak within 10 minutes of their onset.

• Increased heart rate, intense pounding of the heart or palpitations
• Profuse perspiration
• Trembling or shaking of the body including limbs, digits, shoulders or lips
• Shortness of breath or the sensation of being smothered
• Sensation of choking
• Discomfort or pain in the chest area
• Abdominal stress, pain or nausea
• Feelings of dizziness, wobbliness, lightheadedness or weakness
• Feeling of loss of touch with reality or loss of touch with self (depersonalization)
• Feelings of loss of control or fear of going insane
• Intense fear of dying or feeling that you are dying
• Numbness or tingling throughout the body
• Waves of intense cold (chills) or heat (hot flashes)
• Intense feelings of terror or dread

How Long Does an Episode Last?

The American Psychological Association states that the symptoms of a panic attack typically last for about half an hour. It is not uncommon, however, for panic attacks to be as short as 15 minutes in duration. On the other hand, some people suffer from series of panic attacks that can go on to add up to hours at a time.

Stop panic attacks naturally without medication.

Have You Had Panic Attacks?

After reading about panic attacks, including information about symptoms and duration, you should have a pretty good idea if what you have experienced is a true panic attack. Review the list of symptoms again, and ask yourself: did what you experience include at least four of the listed signs of anxiety attacks? Also, does your episode fall within the range of duration that is deemed common for true panic attacks?

Even though you’re getting a good start on knowing what’s going on in your body by reading this, you should speak with a medical professional if you think you may be experiencing these attacks. Your doctor knows you best and will be able to properly diagnose what you are experiencing if it is indeed an anxiety attack. Your physician will also be able to recommend a course of treatment for you as well as suggest ways to prevent these episodes in the future.

If you’d prefer NOT to take prescription medication for panic attacks and/or anxiety, there are alternative and natural options. You can stop panic attacks naturally without prescription medication.

What causes panic attacks? Panic attacks usually have psychological and physical issues at their root. Most of the time, women get more panic attacks than men. Here are some common triggers.

·    Memories of an unpleasant past

·    Traumatic incidents of childhood

·    Sensitivities and allergies to certain drinks and foods

·    Alcohol and drug abuse

·    Upsetting experiences

·    An innocent everyday event

What happens to people who suffer from panic attacks? They find that panic attacks usually result in what is commonly called “situational avoidance.” People who have suffered panic attacks have a tendency to avoid people, places, and situations that have triggered a panic attack previously. Some people even stop going out. This is the most damaging thing panic attacks can ever do. A person who reaches this stage loses all chances of living life normally.

So, how can you avoid panic attacks? You can easily tackle panic attacks by natural ways. Here are some quick tips for you.

·    Avoid soda, chocolates, caffeine, and tea.

·    Learn to breathe deeply. The best way to nip a panic attack in the bud is to breathe slowly and deeply whenever you feel one coming on. This simple technique prevents hyperventilation and this, in turn, prevents light-headedness and dizziness…two sure signs of a brain that contains too much oxygen.

·    Plenty of exercise is a great way to fight panic attacks. Panic attacks are usually associated with a wild rush of adrenaline, and physical exercise curbs this tendency. Some people feel that physical activities cause panic attacks. If you are one of these, you had better avoid exercise regimes for the time being and stick to something that works for you.

·    Try aromatherapy. Sweet smells have a way of calming the most nervous people. You can use scented candles in your bedroom. Alternatively, you can use essential oils. Find out what smells take you back to a pleasant time in your past. Some examples are the smells of certain flowers, baby powder, painted walls, and so on.

·    Meditation can drive the worst panic attacks away. Meditate to the accompaniment of soft, soothing music. Simultaneously, learn positive thinking. It helps curb a panic attack.

·    Try relaxation techniques such as counting backward from hundred to one. There are zillions of relaxation techniques out there, and what works for you need not necessary work for another. You have to research them and select one that suits you best.

The above-mentioned methods should help you deal with panic attacks. A lot depends on how hard you work at dealing with your panic attacks. You must discover the root causes of your problem. This understanding will help you deal with panic disorders and start living a normal life again.

To learn more about what you can do to help alleviate your panic attacks, click here.

What are anxiety panic attack symptoms? Intense feelings of terror and panic. The person feels that they are losing control and will experience all the symptoms of being incredibly frightened. These include increased heart rate, sweating and shaking etc. These attacks can come suddenly and without warning. They can last for about 5-30 minutes, but the actual symptoms can last quite a bit longer.

Causes of anxiety attacks:

Treatment: It is very important to treat anxiety attacks early or they will become habitual and may develop into something worse if neglected. They will not just go away. Managing and treating anxiety can involve a number of viable alternatives that you can use either instead of, or in conjunction with medicine.

Yoga is a good alternative medicine and can be used to reduce stress and regain control over you. Mediation, breathing exercises and physical positions help you to relax and release tension. Yoga’s calm yet disciplined approach to life can cut down panic attacks and allow you to improve the quality of your mental and physical health.

Eating better and exercising will help you to keep your body on a more even keel and will relieve stress. This can often help with panic or anxiety attacks. Excess of junk food can cause mood swings, which can aggravate your condition.

Sometimes you cannot find a cause for these panic attacks and it is often this that makes many sufferers so upset. If you are having anxiety attacks on a regular basis, correct diagnosis and options for treatment should be discussed with a doctor, but for many people understanding anxiety and exploring alternative treatments can minimize the impact of panic attacks. Do not feel that you will just have to live with these attacks and the suffering that comes with it. Knowledge is power. Explore options for treatment as early as possible and get your life back in control again.

If you suffer from panic attacks and anxiety and want relief… if you’re tired of trying pills, potions, and therapy… If you’d like to eliminate anxiety once and for all, as safely, naturally, and as effectively as possible… then it’s time to take control of your fears.

Visit Panic Away

Up until a couple of years ago, I had a lot of fears. I’m not just talking about your average worries in life, I’m talking about actual fear, being really scared. Every time I was home alone, I was scared of something bad happening; be it a break-in, fire or something more “supernatural”. When I was out walking at night I was scared of being attacked. You might think I grew up in a rough area, with a lot of violence around me, but you’d be wrong. I grew up in a small town, probably one of the safest places on earth, with a very low crime rate.

I had a lot of anxiety and panic attacks in my life from a very early age, but I never saw these other fears in relation to my anxiety. Eventually though, I was forced to make the connection. One night I was stuck in my living room for hours. I was convinced that there was someone in my house, and too scared to leave the room. I had all these images in my mind, of rapists and serial killers and men in balaclavas. I panicked. I called a friend and told him about my fear. I took him over an hour on the phone with me to convince me to leave the living room.

So why was I so scared? I finally figured it out with the help of a friend: for as long as I can remember, I loved scary stories. I would watch every cop show, every medical show, every scary movie out there. I would read Stephen King books and watch TV specials about serial killers. Every night I tuned in to the news, to find out what horrible, dangerous things where going on in the world.

What I practically did over the course of many years, was feed my mind with suggestions of potential danger “out there”. For almost every situation I found myself in, I had a scary scenario in my mind that fit it.

Maybe at this point, you think that this doesn’t apply to you, that you are not affected by what you watch and read. You might think that the fears you have are rational. It’s a dangerous world out there, right?

Is it really that dangerous? How many times have you encountered murderers, rapists, terrorists in your life? How many people do you know that have been attacked or shot at? If you really think about it, doesn’t the vast majority of the people you know or hear about live safe, peaceful lives?

We are all affected by what we surround ourselves with. Your subconscious is powerful, but it is not equipped with a button that separates fiction from reality. Even if you don’t feel scared when you watch CSI, your mind is getting suggestions about murder, rape and general violence. The information you feed your mind doesn’t just vanish when you turn off the TV or close the book. In many ways, I believe the news is one of the most powerful negative influences we have around us; the news not only scares us, it claims to tell us the “truth” . It needs to be understood that news-shows are about ratings as much as everything else on TV. There is a process of selection and sometimes construction involved in making news, and fear sells.

After the night I panicked in my own home, I decided to change things. I stopped watching anything that could scare me. I started avoiding shows and books that dealt with death and violence, no matter how interesting I might find it. I for the most part stopped watching news. I still keep up with what goes on in the world, I scan the headlines and I figure that if something is really important to be aware of, people will talk about it and I will find out that way. Gradually, over time, my fears started disappearing.

So am I never scared anymore? Well, there are still some scenarios left in my mental library that sometimes come up when I’m out walking on a dark streets, but for the most part, no, I am not scared anymore. Over the last two years, my outlook on the world has changed; I no longer live in a dangerous and hostile world. I live in a positive world, a world where it is highly unlikely that anything bad should happen to me. A world where I never hear about violence, rape and murder, simply because these tings aren’t a part of the lives of the people around me or the place where I live. Am I just being naïve? Surely bad things just don’t go away when you stop watching the news? You are right; the bad things didn’t go away, there never where any serial killers outside my house in the first place.