What Causes Anxiety Attacks: A Closer Look

Perhaps one of the most unpleasant things to experience would be a sudden overwhelming sense of fear or apprehension. This is known as a panic attack. The causes for this sensation can be extremely varied, so here we will simply point out a few common points of what causes anxiety attacks. For anyone who has been unlucky enough to experience this firsthand, it is certainly no laughing matter.
Oftentimes an attack of panic seems to come from out of nowhere. It is extremely abrupt and can lead to assumptions that the victim is experiencing a heart attack. There is sometimes pain in the chest, as well as hyperventilation. The legs, arms and hands may feel very weak. One may have a numbing sensation in the feet or the limbs. He may be faint, dizzy or intensely sick to his stomach. He may experience feelings of unrealistic terror and the heart may seem to be skipping beats.
The attack itself often lasts for no more than thirty minutes, although sometimes they can last for hours if it is a more violent case. Most of the time a victim will be unable to sleep at night, being awakened with feelings of fear, harrowed breathing or "skipping" of the heartbeat. A sense of claustrophobia is common as well, although in reverse cases some people may want to abstain from leaving an enclosed space.
There are many causes that contribute to the commonly known panic attack. In many cases it is merely biological. A chemical imbalance in the body can lead one's temperament to swing drastically, from angry to terrified. Although this is probably more closely identified with bipolar disorder, the same type of chemical imbalance can cause feelings of intense fear.
Being under a level of high stress can also cause panicky symptoms. A difficult work environment or an unhappy family life can lead to abrupt emotional highs and lows, paving the way for an attack. Abuse or fear of one person, object or place can also set off another bout. Another factor that should be considered is medication. Prescription drugs have been known to cause not only physical, but mental side-effects as well, including hallucinations and synthetically induced emotions that can include fear and apprehension.
A traumatic experience, such as being involved in a car accident or witnessing a violent event can cause the victim to relive the moment over and over again, causing an attack of fear. Often he might have difficulty sleeping. PTSD, also known as Post Traumatic Shock Syndrome, is often a side-effect of soldiers returning from violent war zones, which includes many symptoms that are similar to anxiety attacks.
Although a doctor should be the first one to handle a situation that involves attacks of fear, it has been recommended to stop and breathe into a paper bag. Even though the exercise sounds strange, albeit a bit silly, it helps the victim to breathe deeply and properly, inducing a feeling of calm that comes with a proper level of oxygen. Oxygen can very often become deprived when panicking and hyperventilating.
The key to preventing this condition is to first understand what causes anxiety attacks. Make sure you continue to find other resources to educate yourself about this condition.

By: Mclean Dearth

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