What is panic attack/ Anxiety attack?
The other day a coworker of mine said that he gets anxiety attacks. I have heard other people talk about panic attack. Are they both the same? What does a person feel when they have it? Do they feel anxious or panicked about something? I am just curious.
Is it like pschrizophrenia where a person imagination creates some kind of fear or danger?
Thanks everybody, appreacite the answers.
Panic attacks are very sudden, discrete periods of intense anxiety, mounting physiological arousal, fear, stomach problems and discomfort that are associated with a variety of somatic and cognitive symptoms. The onset of these episodes is typically abrupt, and may have no obvious triggers. Although these episodes may appear random, they are a subset of an evolutionary response commonly referred to as fight or flight that occur out of context. This response floods the body with hormones, particularly epinephrine (adrenaline), that aid it in defending against harm. Experiencing a panic attack is said to be one of the most intensely frightening, upsetting and uncomfortable experiences of a person’s life. According to the American Psychological Association the symptoms of a panic attack commonly last approximately thirty minutes. However, panic attacks can be as short as 15 seconds, while sometimes panic attacks may form a cyclic series of episodes, lasting for an extended period, sometimes hours. Often those afflicted will experience significant anticipatory anxiety and limited symptom attacks in between attacks, in situations where attacks have previously occurred.
Panic attacks are commonly linked to agoraphobia and the fear of not being able to escape a bad situation. Many who experience panic attacks feel trapped and unable to free themselves.
Panic attacks also affect people differently. Experienced sufferers may be able to completely "ride out" a panic attack with little to no obvious symptoms or external manifestations. Others, notably first-time sufferers, may even call for emergency services; many who experience a panic attack for the first time fear they are having a heart attack or a nervous breakdown.
Sufferers of panic attacks often report a fear or sense of dying, "going crazy", or experiencing a heart attack or "flashing vision", feeling faint or nauseated, heavy breathing, or losing control of themselves. These feelings may provoke a strong urge to escape or flee the place where the attack began (a consequence of the sympathetic "fight or flight" response).
A panic attack is a response of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). The most common symptoms may include trembling, dyspnea (shortness of breath), heart palpitations, chest pain (or chest tightness), hot flashes, cold flashes, burning sensations (particularly in the facial or neck area), sweating, nausea, dizziness (or slight vertigo), light-headedness, hyperventilation, paresthesias (tingling sensations), sensations of choking or smothering, and derealization. These physical symptoms are interpreted with alarm in people prone to panic attacks. This results in increased anxiety, and forms a positive feedback loop.
Often the onset of shortness of breath and chest pain are the predominant symptoms, the sufferer incorrectly appraises this as a sign or symptom of a heart attack. This can result in the person experiencing a panic attack seeking treatment in an emergency room.
Panic attacks are distinguished from other forms of anxiety by their intensity and their sudden, episodic nature. They are often experienced in conjunction with anxiety disorders and other psychological conditions, although panic attacks are not always indicative of a mental disorder.
Comments
Comment from curiosity_killed_the_cat_1977
Time September 15, 2009 at 2:47 am
They are the same thing. I have high anxiety controlled by medication, but I have never had a "panic attack", per se. A friend of mine has them often and he describes it as feeling like you are having a heart attack. It’s an overwhelming feeling of dread/fear that consumes them and they feel like they are going to die or something terrible is going to happen to them. Doesn’t sound like any fun to me. I feel sorry for people that have to go through that.
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Comment from G C
Time September 15, 2009 at 3:35 am
iv had these in the past as far as i know theres usually no explanation it sort of feels loke you cant swallow and therefore cant breathe or your heart is beating really hard not nice at all very scary
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Comment from Real T
Time September 15, 2009 at 3:49 am
Panic attacks are very sudden, discrete periods of intense anxiety, mounting physiological arousal, fear, stomach problems and discomfort that are associated with a variety of somatic and cognitive symptoms. The onset of these episodes is typically abrupt, and may have no obvious triggers. Although these episodes may appear random, they are a subset of an evolutionary response commonly referred to as fight or flight that occur out of context. This response floods the body with hormones, particularly epinephrine (adrenaline), that aid it in defending against harm. Experiencing a panic attack is said to be one of the most intensely frightening, upsetting and uncomfortable experiences of a person’s life. According to the American Psychological Association the symptoms of a panic attack commonly last approximately thirty minutes. However, panic attacks can be as short as 15 seconds, while sometimes panic attacks may form a cyclic series of episodes, lasting for an extended period, sometimes hours. Often those afflicted will experience significant anticipatory anxiety and limited symptom attacks in between attacks, in situations where attacks have previously occurred.
Panic attacks are commonly linked to agoraphobia and the fear of not being able to escape a bad situation. Many who experience panic attacks feel trapped and unable to free themselves.
Panic attacks also affect people differently. Experienced sufferers may be able to completely "ride out" a panic attack with little to no obvious symptoms or external manifestations. Others, notably first-time sufferers, may even call for emergency services; many who experience a panic attack for the first time fear they are having a heart attack or a nervous breakdown.
Sufferers of panic attacks often report a fear or sense of dying, "going crazy", or experiencing a heart attack or "flashing vision", feeling faint or nauseated, heavy breathing, or losing control of themselves. These feelings may provoke a strong urge to escape or flee the place where the attack began (a consequence of the sympathetic "fight or flight" response).
A panic attack is a response of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). The most common symptoms may include trembling, dyspnea (shortness of breath), heart palpitations, chest pain (or chest tightness), hot flashes, cold flashes, burning sensations (particularly in the facial or neck area), sweating, nausea, dizziness (or slight vertigo), light-headedness, hyperventilation, paresthesias (tingling sensations), sensations of choking or smothering, and derealization. These physical symptoms are interpreted with alarm in people prone to panic attacks. This results in increased anxiety, and forms a positive feedback loop.
Often the onset of shortness of breath and chest pain are the predominant symptoms, the sufferer incorrectly appraises this as a sign or symptom of a heart attack. This can result in the person experiencing a panic attack seeking treatment in an emergency room.
Panic attacks are distinguished from other forms of anxiety by their intensity and their sudden, episodic nature. They are often experienced in conjunction with anxiety disorders and other psychological conditions, although panic attacks are not always indicative of a mental disorder.
References :
I have them all the time
Comment from Right is Right
Time September 15, 2009 at 4:01 am
I have anxiety disorder / panic disorder and have had many panic attacks. They are horrible attacks and the symptoms can range from mild to severe, my attacks have always been severe, you have chest pain, your lips get numb, you hyperventilate, after you hyperventilate for too long you start getting carpopedal spasms which mimic symptoms of a stroke, there are terrible GI symptoms that come with the attacks, and once I actually had an out of body experience. You feel like you are having a heart attack and in most cases are certain that you are having a heart attack and you also feel like you are completely losing control, going crazy. They are not fun at all. After I come out of one it is liked someone hit me with a truck, they knock me down for up to two days.
They are nothing like schizophrenia, the two do not relate to each other in any way.
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Comment from mikey
Time September 15, 2009 at 4:48 am
i have anxiety for 9 years
he have sweating,dizzy,nausea, your heart races fast
the cure xanax for me
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Comment from mr helper
Time September 15, 2009 at 5:27 am
I think panic attack happens when a person feels anxious. When anxiety becomes too much to handle, that person goes into panic mode. And I define this as an attack because of overbuilt anxiety.
The symptoms are about the same: fast heartbeats, sweaty palms, choking sensations, breathlessness and so on.
Hope this helps.
References :
http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Are-Panic-Attacks?–Does-One-Exist-and-How-Are-They-Triggered?&id=1821186
Comment from Karla H
Time September 15, 2009 at 2:20 am
a panic attack is the strong effects of prolong anxiety its considered the same thing. It can be triggered by something stressful or just happen from prolonged untreated anxiety. You can feel rapid heart beat feelings of threat, hard time breathing, or pass out
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