Was what you had really a panic attack? That's the question. It felt like so much more. So physical! How could it be only in your head? So what are the panic attack symptoms?
First, the symptoms don't exist in a void. They are a part of a person's experience. So let me introduce you to my friend Anna.
Anna has suffered from panic attacks her whole adult life and her case, because it is fairly typical, can give you a good sense of how these symptoms affect an actual person's life. So here are Anna's symptoms with brief descriptions of how they affected her life.
The Physical Symptoms:
Difficulty Breathing
One of the scariest parts of a panic attack is difficulty breathing. Not being able to catch your breath can really unnerve you. This was the first thing Anna noticed during her first attack. She had just started college and was at the supermarket with her roommate when all of a sudden she felt like she was drowning. Anna didn't know what to do.
Chest Pains
First time victims often think they're having heart attacks because one of the main symptoms is chest pains. That's what Anna thought in the supermarket. As the difficulty breathing got worse, she suddenly felt a chest pain so strong it felt as if a ton of bricks had fallen on her chest. Imagine her terror.
Luckily, Anna's roommate noticed her panicked expression and walked her back to the dorm. They would've dialed 911 had Anna's symptoms not evaporated.
Hot/Cold Flashes
One of the less extreme symptoms is temperature discomfort. A sufferer feels so uncomfortably hot they break into a sweat. Or they begin trembling from cold. Even though it was relatively warm back at the dorm Anna trembled violently while waiting for her chest pains and breathing to normalize. Anna and her roommate didn't know what to think. Was it a mild heart attack? The flu?
When Anna fully recovered she felt embarrassed by the whole episode.
Dizziness/Weakness
Typically a loss of balance or lightheadedness is also one of the panic attack symptoms. A sufferer feels a general bodily weakness or like they will faint. On her second day of classes Anna was crowding into a lecture hall when she suddenly felt dizzy. She got to her seat but the whole room seemed to spin as she sat there. Her breathing started to speed up. Terrified, Anna realized she was about to have another episode.
Increased Heart Rate
A racing heart is the most common physical aspect of the panic attack symptoms. Anna noticed her heart rate before the chest pains. She put her hand on her chest and felt her heart ratcheting at her rib cage. It was as if a boa constrictor were slowly squeezing her to death.
The class TA noticed Anna's discomfort and helped her out of class. He gave her his paper lunch bag and had her breath into it. He was the first one who mentioned panic attacks. His mother had suffered from them so he recognized what Anna was going through.
Psychological Symptoms:
Terror
The key psychological symptom is the absolute fear and certainty you are dying. Afterward, Anna and the TA lunched in a quiet courtyard. She confided that during the attack she was certain she was about to die. He told her about his mother's episodes and Anna immediately recognized her own symptoms in his story. At his urging she made an appointment at the campus health clinic.
Loss of Control
The terror is accompanied by the feeling that you're losing your mind and are out of control. For Anna, this was at the heart of her anxiety disorder. A mental health professional helped Anna discover that her fear of crowded places and her separation anxiety were the main triggers for her panic attacks.
Anna learned to deal with her panic attacks. She still occasionally has them but thanks to techniques she's learned she knows how to lessen their magnitude.
If these symptoms sound like what you experienced, then you should get help. Learn more about panic attacks. You've already started on the path to recovery by getting this far. Now keep on going.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6553931
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