Unfortunately for most of us, stress is just a part of life. Some stress can be good for us, that little burst of adrenaline that keeps us on top of things mentally. At other times, stress can become an extreme problem that causes physical symptoms, emotional turmoil and even anxiety attacks.

At first, anxiety attacks may occur suddenly and seem like a normal part of being stressed out. If they are not recognized and dealt with, they may continue and worsen over time.

In order to recognize the indicators for an anxiety attack, you have to understand the symptoms of stress first. Each person experiences stress differently, but some of the general symptoms of stress include problems with memory, confusion, difficulty in concentrating and racing thoughts.

You’ll see some of those symptoms in anxiety attacks as well, but you’ll notice more of the physical symptoms when an attack is occurring. Some people experience shortness of breath, pounding heart rhythm, trembling or shakiness within the body, stomachaches and hot or cold flashes.

At the peak of the attack, you may feel as if you’re losing your grasp of reality and self control. At times, sufferers are unaware that they are experiencing an anxiety attack until it’s too late.

There may be times when a friend or loved one recognizes the signs of anxiety and points them out. After you have experienced even one anxiety attack, it’s important to see your doctor to make sure your diagnosis is correct and to rule out other medical problems.

A physical will rule out other medical conditions through a combination of reviewing your medical history and, depending on the symptoms you present, additional testing like heart rhythm and stress testing. Once it has be determined that anxiety is the main culprit contributing to symptoms a medication may be prescribed to help relieve some of the symptoms associated with anxiety attacks and lessen the occurrence of anxiety attacks. Anti-anxiety medications often require time to build up in the bloodstream. This can take as little as two weeks or as much as two months. During this time your physical will most likely encourage you to visit a counselor to discuss possible anxiety reduction techniques.

A counselor will listen to the patient’s history and determine what stressing factors could be causing their symptoms. Once the patient gets a handle on the contributing factors for their attacks, a treatment plan would then be set up, based on the patient’s situation. A counselor can help them work through the stressors and show them ways to alleviate the stress causing their symptoms.

There are many websites devoted to the use of relaxation techniques that reduce symptoms to a more manageable level and breathing exercises to improve oxygen intake, which could help slow down a racing heart rhythm.

When everyday stress escalates, there are many ways to settle the overwhelming feelings of edginess. Getting the proper help is a start to calming the anxious emotions raging within you. Finding out what stressors cause those emotions and learning how to combat them can bring a sense of relief and feelings of comfort to know that there is hope.

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