Imagine: you are sitting at your desk at work. Suddenly, your heart starts beating faster, you feel a tightness or pressure in your chest, you break into a cold sweat, and out of nowhere it feels like you can’t breathe. You think to yourself “I’m dying” or “I’m going crazy”. The seconds seem to go on for hours and all you want is for this unbearable agony to end. Eventually it does, but not without significant discomfort. Sound familiar? You may be suffering from anxiety or panic attacks.

What Are The Symptoms Of An Anxiety Or Panic Attack?

Not everyone’s panic or anxiety attacks are the same. In fact, they happen on a spectrum where you may have all or only some of the typical symptoms, which include:

• pounding heart or accelerated heart rate
• sweating
• trembling or shaking
• feeling short of breath
• feeling of choking
• chest pain or pressure
• nausea
• feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• feeling of detached or out of your body
• fear of losing control, dying, or going crazy
• numbness or tingling in the body
• chills or hot flashes

These symptoms typically only last for minutes and eventually resolve, though it may feel in the moment as if they are going to or have lasted for quite a bit longer.

Coping With Symptoms Of Anxiety Or Panic Attack

Because of the stigma associated with mental health, most people aren’t aware of the effective ways of coping with panic or anxiety. As a result, they try to develop their own habits or means of dealing with it. Unfortunately, more often than not these attempts at coping may temporarily relieve the suffering but do little to actually resolve the larger issue of the anxiety and panic symptoms, which will continue to occur. It is always recommended to talk to a professional and seek treatment when you feel your symptoms are getting hard to manage. They can help you learn skills to manage your anxiety and panic more effectively.

Interested in receiving further help for anxiety or panic symptoms? Please feel free to schedule an appointment for therapy.