1.(a). A state of uneasiness and apprehension, as about future uncertainties.
      (b). A cause of anxiety: For some people, air travel is a real anxiety.
   2. Psychiatry. A state of apprehension, uncertainty, and fear resulting from the anticipation of a realistic or fantasized threatening event or situation, often impairing physical and psychological functioning.
   3. Eager, often agitated desire: my anxiety to make a good impression.

An Anxiety Attack can be defined as the experience we typically have when we feel we are suddenly in danger, or something unknown is about to occur. An anxiety attack can be a terrifying experience, and involves a period of intense fear or discomfort, typically with a sudden onset and usually lasting for no more than 10 minutes. Sometimes a person can experience a panic or anxiety attack suddenly without an obvious reason. Most people that experience one will usually experience further attacks, and those who have recurring attacks, or feel severe anxiety about having another are said to have panic or anxiety disorder.

The following are some of the more common signs of  anxiety attack and symptoms:

* Chest pain or discomfort

* Feeling light headed, dizzy or unsteady

* Shortness of breath

* Feeling as if you do not exist

* Pounding heart or palpitations

* Hot flushes or Chills

* Blushing or blotching of the skin

* Urgent need to visit the toilet

* Nausea, bloating or indigestion

* An uneasy feeling

* Fear of losing control

* Sweating

* Becoming pale, colour draining from the face

* Shaking

* Numbness or tingling sensations

* Choking sensation

People who have a phobia will often experience anxiety attack symptoms as a direct result of exposure to the things they fear or that trigger their phobia. These anxiety attacks are likely to be short lived and quickly relieved once the trigger is escaped.

Most people may experience one or more of these symptoms from time to time. However experiencing some anxiety attack symptoms is considered normal if you have reasonable explanations for them. The problem arises if you are experiencing them for no apparent reasons, this can be a sign of a more serious anxiety condition.

Usually an anxiety attack begins with an unusual bodily sensation from the anxiety attack symptoms. A person having an anxiety attack will then react, with fear that the symptoms are indicators of a much more serious threat and in turn reacts with more fear which intensified into a state of intense anxiety and panic.

Sometimes anxiety attacks occur in situations where the person cannot exit easily, for example from a social gathering, or a work meeting, but others may experience an incident of anxiety for no reason while in comfortable surroundings or even when sleep. Possible situations where anxiety attack can occur include:

* when driving a car

* moving through crowded areas

* on an airplane

* when sleeping at night

Anxiety attack symptoms are more or less the same feelings we might experience if we feel danger is about to happen. They are signs of how we usually react if we are triggered by fear, worry, and concern. The key to Anxiety Attacks and Panic Attacks is within your control - your mind. Once you accept you are having anxiety attacks, you are only a few steps from controlling your mind when they occur, allowing you to regain control. Critically Anxiety and Panic Attacks are not an illness, you are not ill either physically or mentally. Anxiety Disorders can be eliminated.

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Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate, sweating, trembling or shaking, sensations of shortness of breath or smothering, feeling of choking, chest pain or discomfort, nausea or abdominal distress, dizziness, fainting, fear of losing control, going crazy, fear of dying, chills or hot flushes are some of the immediate changes that the body suffers on account of an anxiety attack.

The immediate physical symptoms preceding an attack include signs of a strong feeling of dread on the patient?s face, loss of control, trembling and shaking, sweating, hot flushes, tense muscles and dry mouth. Moments before a patient goes into an attack, he or she may complain of being lightheaded, dizzy or congestion in the chest.

The number of symptoms that one experiences does not dictate the severity of the attack. Someone can gave an attack with just a few symptoms listed above, and someone can first experience a cascade of all these before they precipitate into an attack. Some people experience anxiety attacks but never actually have any symptoms.

A number of biological changes occurring within the body are responsible for these symptoms, which leave the patient totally worn out and depressed. Furthermore, since muscle tension is one of the symptoms, it leaves the patient totally distressed at the end of the attack. Tension in the head and neck muscles often lead to headaches and migraines, accompanied by facial numbness. Similarly, tensions that occur in the chest on account of breathlessness are the causes of rib pain or tender breasts. All these secondary effects impair the sensations around mouth, face, cheek and jaw.

Article Written By: Eddie Tobey
August 22 2006
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eddie_Tobey

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