What are anxiety attacks? How are they treated?

Introduction: Anxiety attacks or panic attacks are an unpleasant experience of fear and stress that renders an individual overwhelmed.

The individual feels a sense of going deranged with intense emotions and fear. Each attack is a powerful experience in itself and can make the individual to withdraw even from routine activities. The prime difference between regular stress and anxiety attack is the unforeseen frightened state, the real reason behind which usually remains unknown. An anxiety attack can strike even while sleeping or relaxing which makes it imperative to be addressed soon to prevent to become a disorder.

Symptoms: The characteristic features of an anxiety attack in an overwhelming feeling of danger, fear and gloom. Addition symptoms are shortness of breath, weakness, sweating, numbness, palpitating heart and chest pain.

Management: Whenever an individual suffers from any or all of the above symptoms, then immediate attention becomes a necessity. The best possible way to ease the person is reassurance and compassion. In addition to this, the person should be distracted and made to focus on surroundings and help in making him normal. Apart from this, slow and deep breathing with eyes shut, proves to be extremely useful in gently calming the anxiety.