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What are Anxiety Attacks ?
Human life is not a bed of roses each and every person faces several
trials and tribulations in life. So being anxious about something is
natural and completely human. In fact a bit of anxiety is good in the
sense that it gives you the required motivation for excelling in life.
What is not normal is the fact that when a person has a sudden surge of
fear about unrealistic things and worry about circumstances, which do
not even, really exist and that too in a regular basis than it is a
serious disorder. That person is considered to be suffering from anxiety
attack. It is far more intense than having anxiety or the feeling of
being 'stressed out' that most people experience. A person suffering
from anxiety attack is said to be suffering from “anxiety disorder”.
Living with generalized anxiety disorder can be difficult, but treatment
is available.
What are the symptoms of anxiety attacks ?
A person suffering from anxiety attack shows symptoms similar to other
physiological related disorders. some of the symptoms include
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A person suffering from anxiety feels a continuous fear about
his well being or the well being of his near and dear ones. he
is completely delusional and sees imaginary enemies all around
him. Generalized anxiety disorder often begins at an early age,
and the signs and symptoms may develop more slowly than in other
anxiety disorders.
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Causes
Our bodies have an involuntary mechanism of reacting to threat.
This is induced by certain threat perception hormones. A person
facing an anxiety attack has a continuous emission of these
hormones even under completely normal conditions. Some of the
factors that are considered to contribute to this anxiety
syndrome are
• Specific medical conditions:
Sometimes bodily malfunctions, such as an overactive thyroid
gland (hyperthyroidism), can produce anxiety, among other signs
and symptoms.
• Coping with illness: A
person suffering from a serious illness for long durations of
time, such as cancer, can make him anxious. Worrying about the
implications of your diagnosis and possible treatment can become
excessive and overwhelming.
• Stress: Stressful
lifestyles can excessive anxiety.
• Personality: People with
some personality types are more prone to anxiety disorders.
People with unmet psychological needs, such as having a close
relationship that isn't fulfilling, may feel less secure and be
more at risk of generalized anxiety disorder. About GAD.
• Heredity: A person from a
family, which has a history of anxiety attacks, is more prone to
a attack than a normal person.
Diagnosis
The first thing in the diagnosis of anxiety attack is to
distinguish it from normal worrying. It is done by asking the
patient how long this attack lasts and how it affects his daily
life. If he has experienced intense anxiety and worry almost
constantly for six months or more than he has an anxiety
disorder as persistent anxiety that affects you on a day-to-day
basis is considered a medical problem. The doctor starts
treatment with the performance of a physical examination and a
psychological evaluation to rule out other medical problems that
may resemble anxiety disorder. A psychological evaluation
consists of a questionnaire about yourself and an interview by
the doctor. Other tests, such as a laboratory test to measure
thyroid function, may be performed. Depending on the cause and
severity of your condition, you may be referred to a mental
health professional or other medical specialist.
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Treatment
Treatment of anxiety disorders can be of two types. It might be
either through medication or through therapy.
Medications: The most
common medication used by Doctors for treatment include
antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications to treat various
types of anxiety disorders. Commonly prescribed drugs include:
• Anti-anxiety drugs The
most commonly used anti anxiety drug include Benzodiazepines
which are sedatives that ease anxiety within half an hour, but
the patients may become habituated if he takes the medicine
continuously and in strong doses for a long time. For this
reason, doctors may prescribe them but for only a short time to
help the patient get through a particularly anxious period.
However higher doses of these medicines are quite harmful as
they may cause unsteadiness, drowsiness, reduced muscle
coordination and problems with balance. Higher doses and
long-term use can cause memory problems. Don't drive or use
heavy machinery while taking these drugs.
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Another medication prescribed for anxiety disorders such as GAD is
buspirone (BuSpar). This drug often doesn't work as well if you've
taken benzodiazepines in the past. A common side effect of buspirone
is a brief feeling of lightheadedness shortly after taking the
medicine. Less common side effects include headaches, nausea,
nervousness and insomnia.
• Antidepressants These drugs
influence the activity of neurotransmitters and help nerve cells
(neurons) in your brain send and receive messages. Examples of
antidepressants used to treat anxiety include: fluoxetine (Prozac),
paroxetine (Paxil), imipramine (Tofranil), venlafaxine (Effexor) and
escitalopram (Lexapro).
In most cases all anti depressant works however certain kinds of them
need not have a required effect on you as all anti depressants act
differently on different persons. Furthermore, antidepressants usually
don't work immediately. The medication may begin to work within two
weeks, but it may take up to eight weeks before you notice its full
effects.
Psychotherapy
This involve taking the help of a psychologist who would talk through
your illness and help you relax and focus on the better thing in life.
One type of psychotherapy, cognitive behavior therapy, examines
distortions in thinking that lead to psychological problems. Popularly
called as the cognitive behavior therapy there you learn to recognize
things that trigger your anxiety attacks or make them worse. You learn
to replace negative thoughts with more positive, realistic perceptions,
and you learn ways to view and cope with life events differently. The
behavioral part of the therapy involves learning ways of coping with
anxiety, such as by using breathing and relaxation techniques. Practice
of yoga and exercises is also recommended to relax your body and prevent
stress levels to increase. Treatment for generalized anxiety disorder or
any mental illness is tailored to each person. No single treatment
regimen works for everyone. Most treatment occurs on an outpatient
basis, but some people may need care in a hospital setting. |
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Article
Contributed By: Pinakjit Kakati
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