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Knowing the Different Anxiety Attack Symptoms

Medically Recommended Psychologist Supported

When a person experiences his or her first panic attack, understanding and identifying the symptoms can be tough unless this person has read up on the subject or perhaps has a friend that has also had a panic attack. Typical anxiety attack symptoms would include heart palpitations and tightening of the chest together. However, if an individual were to experience both of these symptoms but at separate times, then heart disease might be an issue. Other common symptoms associated with an anxiety attack include dry throat, profuse sweating, hyperventilation, shortness of breath, and an overwhelming sense of suffocating along with the tight chest and heart palpitations. Obviously, when someone goes through something like this, they automatically feel as if they are dying. Often, the person would feel dizzy and faint, or even begin to shake.

Without doubt, anxiety and panic attacks have intense symptoms that come on fast and strong due to a reaction within the central nervous system telling the body it is in serious danger. The individual goes through a variety of feelings, which might be psychological or based on real life situations. Sometimes, the person knows what these triggers are and sometimes they have no idea. When the body is over-stimulated, it is natural for the cardiovascular system to go into action, which starts the process of the anxiety attack. As blood is pumped out to the limbs in preparation for fighting for life, blood vessels in the skin start to constrict, which occurs as other parts of the body are trying to compensate for blood rushing to muscles.

When this happens, the skin becomes pale, which is a definite anxiety attack symptom. At the same time, the constriction of the blood vessels makes the mouth go dry, which is actually being experienced by the digestive system and kidneys as well. The temperature of the body will start to drop, causing the person to sweat. The body also reacts to demand of the nervous system, at which time it tries to unload the digestive system. When this occurs, the person would get an upset stomach or even have diarrhea.

Again, the anxiety attack symptoms mentioned are all a process caused by the body’s normal reaction to impending danger. The body feels as if it needs more oxygen, which causes the person having the anxiety or panic attack to breathe fast or experience a shortness of breath. Feeling physical discomfort or pain is also expected but as soon as the anxiety attack is brought under control, this goes away due to the brain’s release of endorphins, which is a substance produced in the body much like morphine. The person would gain a sharpened sense of perception, the pupils would dilate to improve vision, and soon, fear takes over, which is the result of the body consuming all its energy. What this all means is that anxiety attack symptoms are merely a natural response by the body whenever it senses danger or fear.

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