Stress Caused Panic Attacks

The “flight-or-fight” response is caused when a person is faced with danger. The brain is made to choose whether or not the body will face the fear or just run away from it. It is during this moment that biochemicals like adrenaline are released in the body and gives way to physical changes, like sweating and fast pounding of the heart.

When such “flight-or-fight” response is triggered even without the presence of real danger, then panic attack occurs.

The swift, successive, and loud throbbing of the heart, the difficulty in getting air in and out of the lungs, the shaky, scared feeling, the tension felt in the muscles and the state of being ready to faint are just some of the things that people feel when they experience panic attack. Panic attack is the onset of strong anxiety giving a person the well-built sense of fear and alertness. The attack itself can last for about an hour but the effects of such attack physically and emotionally can last longer.

Panic attack, known under another term as anxiety attack, is common in a lot of people. At some point in anyone’s life, he or she experiences strong feeling of anxiety, and this is exactly what panic attack does.

Commonly, stress is the main reason which causes lot of people to experience this response. Because of ongoing stress that a person experiences from his everyday work, the body can produce unusually high levels of stress chemicals like adrenaline. Likewise, stress which is caused by a traumatic event can also result to a downpour of stress chemicals. Also, it is important to note that other factors such as excessive exercise, too much intake of caffeine, illnesses and even an unexpected change in one’s environment can add to the anxiety that can attack a person.

There are symptoms which can indicate panic attack; they include being overly on the guard for any danger, having a very irrational way of thinking, being too fearful, being dizzy and the feeling of being detached from reality. A racing heartbeat and the feeling of being unable to breathe are also common among those who suffer from anxiety attack.

However, panic attacks which frequently occur and are longer than expected may lead to panic disorders when they are not treated. A person can experience problems in his or her functioning in the different aspects of his or her life because of such disorder.

To be able to reliably prevent the onset of a debilitating panic disorder, or even to avoid further complications because of the panic attack, one should always visit his doctor when he experiences any of the symptoms. It crucial that the expert advice of a medical professional is sought so that a person can be sure that the symptoms that he is feeling are not because of any other illnesses like diabetes, asthma, hyperthyroidism and heart problems.

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