Common Symptoms of a Panic Attack
The symptoms surrounding an oncoming panic attack are as diverse as the people who experience the anxiety. The symptoms of a panic attack can be either physical, mental or emotional. No set of symptoms of a panic attack can be generalized for all patients. The trigger, the emotional state of the patient, the environment and even the physical condition of the patient can change the related symptoms. The more you become accustomed to your bodily changes during the panic attack, the more apt you will be to notice those symptoms early enough in the attack to deal with what is about to occur.
Physical Symptoms of a Panic Attack
Panic attacks can affect the sufferer in a very physical way. With increased anxiety and tension often comes headaches, body aches and pains, shaking hands, trouble breathing, chest pains and after prolonged and repeated panic attacks, physical illness. The human mind is the most powerful control of our physical body and when the mind is in distress the body quickly follows.
Not all symptoms of a panic attack are physical in nature. Mental symptoms also occur. In a comprised state during high levels of anxiety, the mental status of a person in the midst of an attack fails quickly. Mental symptoms include an immense feeling of being caged, feelings of being watched, disorientation, confusion and an inability to make well thought out decisions. Once the symptoms move from physical to mental, emotional symptoms quickly follow.
The emotional symptoms of a panic attack are much harder to generalize that the physical and mental symptoms. Emotions vary widely and many include extreme sadness, anger, confusion, and even certain levels of psychosis related effects on the mind. Due to the closeness of mental and emotional symptoms, they are often interchanged in conversation.
When judging the severity of the symptoms related to a panic attack, doctors often inquire about the patient's ability or inability to maintain normal daily functions during the panic attack. An ability to maintain normal daily functions would mean the case was in the mildest of forms. While the inability to maintain normal daily functions are symptomatic of a more severe case.
Many people deal with the effects of recurring panic disorders on a daily basis. The symptoms of a panic attack or disorder can range from mild to severe and include many forms of effects on the body.
