Susan was relaxing like she did every Saturday morning at the nail salon. She had her feet in the tub, the massage chair activated and was getting a great pedicure. She was talking to the other ladies in the salon about the weather for the upcoming weekend, and the upcoming holidays. 

Suddenly, her skin started to itch, it was on fire. She adjusted her feet, maybe the water was too hot. Sweat beads appeared on her forehead, she felt her back and underarms grow moist with sweat. Susan sat there paralyzed, her heart was racing so fast, the beating was so hard she felt like her chest was going to explode. She couldn´t breathe. Oh My God! She thought, I´m having a heart attack. The walls were closing in on her, everyone was looking at her, people must think she´s crazy. 

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Our parents, our childhood and our life experiences, all influence the way we handle personal turmoil. For some people, the way they handle the bumps of life is directly influenced by how they saw other people handle these occurrences while they were growing up, particularly their parents. Some people are simply born with personalities that are more or less able to cope with stressful life events. This doesn´t make you a good or bad person; it just makes you human and it is a wonderful thing that we are all unique rather than just carbon copies. Once you understand the source of your reaction to specific anxiety filled events, you will be better able to handle panic attacks that are threatening your peace of mind.  

You´ve experienced a panic attack and have probably been terrified by the experience. The rapid heartbeat, the difficulty breathing, the sweating, the tightness in your chest and the tension of your muscles throughout your body probably lead you to believe that the emergency room was necessary.

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Dealing with the aftermath of a panic attack is not easy. After this incredibly disturbing episode, it´s difficult to concentrate on anything but avoiding a repeat episode. The fear of being stricken again is enough to cause avoidance of a range of different activities, even activities you once enjoyed. Regaining your confidence is an important first step in dealing with anxiety and its consequences. 

The beginning stages of a panic attack are unmistakable. Your muscles start to tighten up with tension, your heart starts to race, your brow begins to sweat and you have trouble breathing.

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Panic Disorder is a serious problem and a condition recognized by the American Psychiatric Association that affects millions of Americans. This condition takes a panic attack a step further. Not only must you have experienced two or more attacks, you must also have had those attacks followed by a prolonged period of excessive worry over the possibility of another attack occurring. 

Anxiety attacks don’t occur because you are obsessing over something but rather they happen spontaneously, out of the blue, in places and among people you wouldn’t ordinarily associate with extreme apprehension. That is what makes these episodes so scary, the sheer unpredictability can be very troubling and cause the worry that turns these isolated instances into a disorder. 

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Panic attacks can strike at any time in our lives. They can initiate in childhood, young adulthood or when we are fully grown adults. Regardless of when they occur, they are shocking, terrifying events that leave many people doubting their physical and mental health. Many people think they are going crazy or in the throes of death. This problem, experienced by millions of Americans, leaves strong residual feelings of anxiety that have a profound affect on our lives. 

Panic attacks are one of the truly scary events in life. An attack can involve any number of terrifying symptoms, some of which include, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, sweating, choking, numbness, particularly in the extremities, hot flashes, dizziness and a general fear that you are out of control or losing your mind. 

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Panic attacks are frightening! They are worse than being chased by Mike Meyers or pursued by Freddy Krueger. These acute episodes are particularly frightening because they can strike so unexpectedly. 

The symptoms and effects of severe anxiety can mirror actual medical problems, leading you to fear for your very life. Moreover, you lose control during an attack and can easily become the source of ridicule. The humiliation that people who contend with this problem feel is one of the main reasons that their lifestyles are so dramatically affected by this condition.

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