An anxiety panic attack can be sudden and seem to come without any warning. Often they are very intense and terrifying. Sufferers report that they sense a surging feeling of fear and terror wash all over them.
Disturbing panic symptoms such as derealization and depersonalization often occur during attacks. Many sufferers dread that something bad is going to happen during an attack.
Sufferers of anxiety disorders such as agoraphobia are more susceptible to panic attacks. Agoraphobia can vary in severity and many people can live their lives quite normally without too many limitations.
Sufferers have a fear of something embarrassing happening in an environment where they can't easily escape. The fear of being seen to have a panic attack is enough to put them off from certain situations.
Attacks are the result of the fight or flight response, also known as the stress response. In caveman times when humans hunted prey, the stress response was vital to man’s survival.
The stress response triggers the adrenal glands releasing adrenaline and cortisol. The hunter would be ready to either run or fight his attacker. Through the ages the human brain function has changed little
Although many scientists believe that the stress response is the cause for many anxiety disorders it does have its uses. The problem is that in modern day society, the stress response is triggered too often.
In a dangerous situation where you need to react quickly, the stress response is needed. The negative is that excessive production of hormones such as adrenaline can be damaging for the mind and body. And this can lead to mental illnesses.
Anxiety disorders such as agoraphobia make life difficult to manage. Severe cases can be hard to overcome but they are treatable. Moreover, therapies like hypnosis and CBT are effective at treating anxiety panic attacks.
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