Acute anxiety is a psychiatric disorder that is distinguished by
its brief panic attacks. The panic attacks are usually accompanied by
behavioral changes. Most people have stated that they have had at least
one panic attack in their life and many claim to have had more. It is
estimated that about 1.7 percent of the adult population in America has a
panic disorder. This condition usually hits in early adulthood before
the age of 24. People who have experienced some kind of traumatic event
usually develop acute anxiety. Studies have shown that women are about
two times more likely to develop this problem than men.
Acute
anxiety is usually brief, lasting mere minutes or hours. When a person
is going through a panic attack, they may be withdrawn and moody. This
condition can be brought on by fear or intense worry. Those who
experience anxiety attacks usually perceive these moments to be the most
frightening points in their life. When having a panic attack, the
person suffering the attack will have a feeling of losing control and
may have a strong urge to leave the place where it started. This kind of
episode is the reaction of the sympathetic nervous system or "Flight or
fight" response.
Many things can cause a person to have a panic
attack. Things such as phobias and major personal loss are some of the
more common triggers. When someone is faced with something utterly
terrifying, the reaction will likely be acute anxiety. This can also be
true for a person who has gone through a major life change. Other
triggers include some medications, stimulants such as coffee or
nicotine, drugs such as marijuana or mushrooms, feelings of self-doubt
and "what if" thinking. Long-term panic disorders can be caused by
environmental factors or could run in the family.
The symptoms of
acute anxiety are categorized in four different groups, physical,
perceptual, emotional and mental. The physical symptoms are chest pain,
shortness of breath, stomach pains, light-headedness, sweating,
uncontrollable itching and crying, claustrophobia, choking sensations,
numbness, exhaustion and racing pulse. Perceptual symptoms include dream
like sensations, time appearing to speed up or slow down, tunnel vision
and heightened senses. The emotional signs are terror, various fears
and flash backs of the earlier trigger event. Mental states may include
loss of control and thinking ability in general, feeling of imminent
ruin, extreme nervousness and loud internal dialogue.
Treatments
for panic attacks can vary. It is best to seek out the help of a medical
professional. There is no one best cure and often sufferers are helped
by a range of therapies. Medical treatments using drugs can help in the
initial stages. Most patients come to the realisation that drugs only
control the symptoms and do not offer a cure. Eventually most people
who recover realise that they need to work on the faulty thoughts and
feelings that cause the condition. This can be done with the help of a
therapist or via self help books and tapes. The good news is that acute
anxiety is not life threatening and most people go on to make a full
recovery.
Showing posts with label acute anxiety. Show all posts
Showing posts with label acute anxiety. Show all posts
Monday, July 8, 2013
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