To know how to stop panic attacks and to understand the signs you have to listen to some of the stories of sufferers on whom an attack came as a sudden shock and caught them unawares. Read on to know more about such people.
Samantha was watching a football match on television after a tiring day at work. All of a sudden she began to feel a bit strange and a feeling as though she was light headed and there was nothing in her head. A suffocating sensation, as if the air she was breathing had no oxygen engulfed her. Almost immediately she could feel her heart pounding as if it was going to jump out of her chest. At one stage she began to really panic because she thought she was experiencing a heart attack. Saying that she was feeling panicky would have been an understatement. This feeling was something she had never experienced before. She was feeling sweaty, shaky and unsteady. It only took about 60 seconds for the experience to reach its peak, but Samantha was never the same again.
This is just one example of how a panic attack my manifest itself. It may differ from person to person depending on what triggers a person into such an attack and his/her reactions to it. The duration or time and the intensity of the episode can also vary hugely. A panic attack is the first symptom of some underlying Panic Anxiety Disorder. Panic Anxiety Disorder is normally characterized by sudden and severe episodes and it is a recognized medical disorder.
It is vital that you understand, early on, that the symptoms being discussed can also be attributed to other things as well, apart from panic attacks. It is wise to be careful, because it can be due to other more serious conditions that display similar symptoms to a panic attack. The chances are that if there is not rational reason or just causes for the intense feeling of anxiety and panic, then this person might be displaying symptoms of a Panic Disorder.
Often, it only takes a panic attack a couple of minutes, after it has begun, to reach its pick intensity. They can be expected to diminish gradually over the next half an hour or the symptoms may even last for several hours. In most of the cases the first attack leads the sufferer to go to some emergency medical facility. The victim of the attack, might go several months without getting an attack again or they may have several that same month, there is no definitive rule that everyone follows.
Some studies have indicated that 75% of sufferers are women. Typical, it is between the ages of about 20-30 that panic anxiety disorder sets in, in most people. Elder people are not that prone to such disorders.
The most common signs of an attack include a raging heartbeat, nervousness, shaky feeling, stress, difficulty in breathing and feeling a lack of enough oxygen. There may be a feeling of a tingling sensation in the fingers and toes and this is sometimes accompanied by a paralyzing feeling of fear. There is sometimes a feeling of nausea of intense dread, a choking feeling or hot flashes as well as the chills or chest pains are also very common. You experience a crazy feeling that you are going mad or about to die. If you experience these feels then it would be wise for you to seek the advice of a professional.
It is essential that you learn how to control a panic attack if you are ever going to live a life that is anxiety free.
Filed under Effects Of Stress by 
If you look at a U.S. president prior to him taking office with his looks after four or eight years on the job and it’s hard to avoid the conclusion that stress affects aging. Knowing this makes researchers even more determined to find ways to deal with stress.
Much as any manufactured product such as a car, an appliance, roads, etc. – our bodies are susceptible to wear and tear. Organs such as the heart, liver, and kidney are critical components of the human body. Wear and tear on them has a cumulative effect. When we’re stressed out, our heart rate increases, our blood pressure goes up, and our adrenal glands flood our bloodstream with hormones. If this series of events happens occasionally, no real harm is done to the body. But if the stress is never ending, real damage begins to happen to the components inside of our bodies.
A perfect example is the starter switch of an automobile. Every starter switch in an automobile has a pretty much pre-determined life span. On an average day of driving our car we might start our car by turning on the starter switch 3 to 7 times a day. We do it when we go to work, when we return home, possibly during the course of running errands throughout the day. In other words, normal use. Our starter switch will most likely last for years under normal use. But, imagine how long that same switch would last if you were to turn your car on, but instead of releasing the ignition switch when your car starts, you continue to let it grind. You’ll be lucky if your starter switch lasts through the day.
Chronic stress in your body is similar. Genetecists have theorized that, like a starter switch, each cell in the body has a programmed and predetermined life span. When that life span has expired, the cell chromosomes will no longer work and the cell dies. When the body is under chronic stress. it is continually activating the “fight-or-flight” responses in the body. In other words, the starter switch has been turned on and left on. The theory is that it is this constant stress that ages the body. But how? The answer is the telomere.
The region of repetitive DNA at the end of chromosomes is called a telomere. It protects the end of the chromosome from destruction. The telomere is also involved in the replication of cells. Each time a cell divides, the telomere is shortened. Eventually the length of the telomere becomes so short that it can no longer divide. At this point the cell dies. Recent studies have shown that chronic stress tends to accelerate the shortening and shriveling of the telomere, directly causing the body to age faster. The greater the level of chronic stress, the faster the body’s cells die and the faster the body gets wrinkles, weakened muscles, frailer bones, poorer eyesight, and other typical signs of aging.
Scientist can now actually measure a cell’s age by looking at its chromosomes. This means that they can measure, at a cellular level, the damage that stress is having on the cell’s chromosomes. Though more studies are needed to confirm this, one theory is that it is the high levels of stress hormones in the body, particularly cortisol, that is doing damage to the telomeres.
For many years now, scientists have been studying the link between chronic stress and the increased risk of major diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. There now appears to be a direct link, as well, between chronic stress and premature aging in otherwise healthy people.
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Panic and anxiety attacks can put a wrangle hold on your life, making it hard to do the most simplest of tasks. If you have never experienced a panic attack, you will not know how hard it is to deal with one.When you feel like you are suffocating it can be a very scary feeling and you want relief immediately. You feel like you are drowning without air. Since so many people have panic and anxiety attacks, there are many solutions available to help you ease your panic attacks and possibly even cure them.Find out how you can manage your panic attacks so you can live freely again without worry and anxiety.
One way to cure panic attacks is to learn how to breathe.You may ask how can you breathe if you are having a tough time breathing during a panic attack? Practice breathing exercises when you are not having an anxiety attack. Focus on your lungs as you inhale and exhale.
Another way to stop panic attacks is to figure out what causes panic attacks and work to avoid those situations. Stress or worry are two big causes. You cannot eliminate stress from your life, but you can manage how you deal with it. Along with practicing your breathing, you can learn how to meditate and practice yoga.
There are also the standard tips such as avoiding sugar, alcohol, and caffeine as these can give you temporary highs and can increase your heart rate and cause your mood to go up and down as the stimulant goes through your system. If you want to cure panic attacks you need to get rid of the harmful stuff in your life.
You can see there are several tips to help you cure your panic and anxiety attacks. And then once you follow these simple steps, you can decrease how many you have until you don't have anymore. It’s all about getting help.You are not alone if your fight against panic anxiety attacks. Get back in control of your life and be free from panic attacks.
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