Anxiety Attack Symptoms: What You Should Know To Overcome Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety disorders can have a huge range of symptoms from mild to severe. It's important to know when you might be experiencing anxiety so that you can treat it or reduce its effects on your life. Click above for a list of the most common anxiety attack symptoms and their impacts on your body and mental health. Learn how to identify if you're having an anxiety attack by taking our quiz!
To learn more about the different types of anxiety, visit our blog here: https://www.ehow.com/how-does_4940510_anxiety-disorder-work.html
Disclaimer: Anxiety Disorder is a diagnosis of exclusion. If you believe that you have an anxiety disorder, it is important to get an evaluation. Many people with symptoms of an anxiety disorder do not actually have a mental health condition. Therefore, it's critical to get a proper assessment by a professional who can determine whether your symptoms are due to an underlying medical condition and rule out other possible causes before arriving at a diagnosis of anxiety disorder.
In order to accurately diagnose someone with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, the psychiatrist will ask several questions related to the persons' history, including medical history and family history. The person's medical history could include the following:
There are several types of tests that can be done to confirm the diagnosis of generalized anxiety. These include the following:
The patient is often asked questions about their current life, family and history. The psychiatrist will work to determine what, if any, symptoms they have experienced. Here are a few questions that may help with this process:
What is your overall health like? Do you have any physical symptoms? When did these first start? How did you feel when they started? Did they get better or worse over time? Have they ever changed in intensity or distribution? Has your condition ever been treated for another reason (e.g. physical symptoms caused by another health condition)? How? Have you ever had a head injury, or have you ever been hospitalized for alcohol or substance use problems? Do you have the following symptoms:
The psychiatrist will ask if the patient has had any thoughts of suicide and perform a mental status examination. Questions may include the following:
The doctor will ask about any previous mental health treatment or hospitalizations. This includes use of antidepressants, antipsychotics, anti-anxiety medications, or sedatives. The doctor will also inquire about use of over-the-counter medications (e.g., aspirin, acetaminophen). The doctor may also want to know about tobacco, alcohol and drug use history as well as caffeine consumption.
Symptoms of generalized anxiety may include the following:
The person will experience excessive worry, fear or worry that is out of proportion to the situation. It may be difficult to manage daily activities and social interactions.
How long has it been since they last felt ok? How long have they been feeling anxious? How long has this been going on? Is there a recent change in their life (e.g., significant new stressor, relationship difficulties)? Does this person have anxiety attacks often (e.g., once or twice a week)? Are there any triggers for their anxiety (e.g. a person with a panic attack may associate the smell of gasoline or germs with an impending panic attack)?
The person will experience excessive worry, fear or worry that is out of proportion to the situation. It may be difficult to manage daily activities and social interactions.
How long has it been since they last felt ok? How long have they been feeling anxious? How long has this been going on? Is there a recent change in their life (e.g., significant new stressor, relationship difficulties)? Does this person have anxiety attacks often (e.g., once or twice a week)? Are there any triggers for their anxiety (e.g. a person with a panic attack may associate the smell of gasoline or germs with an impending panic attack)?
The person will experience excessive worry, fear or worry that is out of proportion to the situation. It may be difficult to manage daily activities and social interactions.
How long has it been since they last felt ok? How long have they been feeling anxious? How long has this been going on? Is there a recent change in their life (e.g., significant new stressor, relationship difficulties)? Does this person have anxiety attacks often (e.g., once or twice a week)? Are there any triggers for their anxiety (e.g. a person with a panic attack may associate the smell of gasoline or germs with an impending panic attack)?
If you are interested in learning more about anxiety, we encourage you to explore our anxiety symptoms section here: https://www.ehow.com/about_5385968_list-anxiety-symptoms_list.html
In addition to the above signs, it is common for people who experience panic attacks to feel like they are going crazy or that they are losing control of their body and mind. This is because many of the symptoms of panic attacks resemble those of other mental health disorders, like post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
Fear of losing control is one of the most common symptoms associated with panic attacks. A key feature of panic attacks is a sense that something bad is going to happen. The fear can be irrational and can lead to even more anxiety and fear, but it can be very real, even if the person experiencing it knows that the fear is irrational.
The physical symptoms experienced during a panic attack are often called "panic attack symptoms" or simply "panic" or "attacks." While many people think these symptoms are as a result of an adrenaline rush, they may also occur due to other biological changes. These symptoms include:
Another symptom of panic attacks is sweating.
Conclusion
Throughout history, panic attacks have been thought of as a psychological disease. Today, we know that they are often the result of a physiological imbalance. Proper diagnosis and treatment can help people live a normal life, live less worryingly, and learn how to cope with their anxiety disorder.
References:
Aderibigbe OO: History and evolution of anxiety disorders. Anxiety & Depression Research & Treatment 2013, 4:281287 DOI: 10.2147/ANDT.S103098 Published online 25 June 2012 Abstract https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23141575 https://www.ncbi.nlm... https://www2..