Stress is an integral part of our lives. It heightens our awareness, sharpens our focus, and enables us to stay alert and focused. Stress helps motivate us into action and helps to maintain a healthy balance of hormones and chemicals in the brain. However, abnormally high amounts of stress can result in anxiety attacks.

Anxiety can go unnoticed. It is easy to confuse anxiety and daily healthy stress. Prolonged anxiety and anxiety attacks should be recognized and treated aggressively. Anxiety attacks when left untreated can quickly become out of control and all consuming.

In order to recognize the indicators for an anxiety attack, it pays 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.

Physical symptoms often accompany anxiety attacks. During an anxiety attack you might experience trembling, shaking, stomach aches, hot or cold flashes, noticeably increased heart rhythm, nausea, or shortness of breath. These symptoms can be very disturbing and can interrupt normal daily activities.

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.

Once your doctor has determined that you are healthy overall, anti-anxiety medication may be prescribed and referral to a counselor or licensed therapist may be recommended.

Counselors are individuals specially trained to help patients explore the motivations behind their feelings. This includes determining what factors contribute to stress and how to eliminate or reduce stress. A counselor will listen to a patient’s medical and biographical history to determine what influences are contributing to the overabundance of stress in their lives. Once these stressors are identified the counselor will create a treatment plan and teach the patient to manage their stress through the use of stress reduction techniques. The success of this treatment plans depends solely on the patient’s commitment to follow through with the suggestions outlined in it.

Several websites are available that describe different ways to relax under duress and breathe through your anxiety, improving oxygen levels and slowing your racing heartbeat.

As the stress in your day to day life increases, there are many strategies for coping. Getting assistance in learning how to manage your anxiety is the first step. Determining the major stressors in your life and developing an effective strategy to cope with them will increase your comfort level and bring hope back into your life.

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