It is normal for us to worry about certain things in life. However, some people worry too much or they worry about irrelevant things. When they allow this worry to become the center of their attention, it will often times provoke an anxiety attack. If anxiety is not dealt with and the anxiety attacks continue to occur, they can become debilitating to daily activities. If this is you and you want to learn how to stop anxiety attacks from occurring, then this article is for you!

First let’s go over the symptoms of anxiety and anxiety attacks. Anxiety is overwhelming worry and/or irrational fear which takes over one’s perceptions and outpours into daily activities. Due to the nagging thoughts that accompany anxiety, one will often experience an inability to concentrate and/or sleep. When the anxiety is not treated and builds up, it will provoke an anxiety attack displaying irritability, mood swings, tight or heavy chest, hyperventilation, frequent headaches stemming from the neck, increased heart rate, sweating, muscle tension and even nausea.

If this is the case for you, you should consult a physician so that they can give you the options on how to stop panic attacks. Many physicians these days will prescribe anti-anxiety medication or anti-depressants to deter the anxiety, stopping the anxiety attacks. Other physicians may recommend that you see a psychologist to determine if there is a real underlying illness and deal with the root of the anxiety.

If you would like to learn how to stop anxiety attacks without consulting your physician, you should study meditation and relaxation techniques. These will help to release the worry and tension provoked by the anxiety, lessening the symptoms of the attacks and the frequency of occurrence.

Well, this is the final article of a three-part series on the role of anger in the occurrence and perpetuation of panic attacks and anxiety. In the first two installments we defined anger within two theoretical perspectives, and took a look at how anger presented in my life as an anxiety sufferer. I’d like to wrap-up the series by discussing what I did, and still do, to keep my anger in check.

The first technique came to life as I gained the insight to identify the relationship between my thinking, feeling, and behavior, and the obvious presence of anger. I can’t stress enough the importance of matching untoward mental, emotional, and physical sensations to what’s going on in and around you at the time; as well as the goings-on in the past when you experienced similar sensations. As you detect troubling mind, spirit, and body sensations, take a moment and ask yourself if you’ve felt the same phenomena in other situations, past and present. And try to recall the emotion involved. This little technique, which I call Symptom Identification and Association (SIA), will help you identify the feelings behind many of your special little internal quirks. And that can be incredibly helpful.

I became ready to see my anger for what it was and allow it, under supervision, to play itself out. When the feeling and symptoms arose, I didn’t run. No, I hung in there and opened my mind in an effort to examine as many contributing factors as I could. And this scrutiny always included looking beyond who or what was about to wrongly become a target. Usually, in time, the true sources of the agitation (often me) were revealed and action plans could be drafted and implemented. Please don’t ever forget about the potential for displaced anger, which I discussed in part two.

Now, while the anger processing was taking place, I’d support its deliberate work by doing anything I could to sustain a presence of calm and management. Activities such as exercise, journaling, guided imagery, and relaxation techniques were employed; as well as becoming involved in some sort of positive project. No doubt, anger equals energy; so why not use this energy to feed something constructive, as opposed to feeding mismanaged and destructive thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. All of these activities provided an environment of perspective and just enough diversion to inhibit the potential for becoming overwhelmed, while not losing focus on the work at hand. And I’d try to find a trusted party with whom I could talk and use as a sounding board, and from whom I could gain some perspective.

Heck, I just let myself be what my emotions were dictating, within the context of self-awareness and management. I would identify and acknowledge what I was feeling, said it was okay to feel that way, and dealt with it accordingly. And that included constructively expressing my feelings to anyone with whom I was in conflict. And if my anger was as a result of a situation over which I had absolutely no control, I did all within my power to process it and let it go. And, man, that sure wasn’t, and isn’t, an easy thing to do. Dang, it’s just so natural for us to harbor anger and become so traumatized by it, not to mention traumatizing others along the way. But, why go absolutely mad, and bring so much pain to others, over something that could possibly never change?

I remember feeling a lot of stress and anger one steamy summer day several years ago, and taking a walk in a local forest preserve. While strolling about, I found the biggest stick I could physically manage and started cracking every tree and rock I could find in a selected isolated area of woods. When I started, the stick was about five feet long. When I finished it was down to about the size of a baseball bat. But, it didn’t end there. I took that stick home and it became my “anger stick.” To this day, when dire frustration and anger knock upon my door, I’ll reach under my bed, grab my anger stick, and beat on a pillow or my bed, verbalizing my frustration as I strike.

Another great anger management technique is screaming. Now, you may be saying, “Bill, how am I going to do that without my neighbors calling 911?” Hey, scream into a pillow or while you’re driving your car. I’m telling you, it works. Here’s another one. Go to your local dollar store and buy a set of drinking glasses and head for the woods or your garage. Throw those babies at a tree, a rock, or a wall as you express your anger (please be sure to clean up the mess). Or how ’bout an anger-venting exercise using something as simple as a towel? Yes, grab a hand towel with one hand at each end. Now just start twisting like crazy, grunting and groaning while you’re at it. If you’re so moved, verbalize some thoughts and feelings.

Well, that’s all “he” wrote regarding anger’s role in the generation and perpetuation of panic attacks and anxiety. Hopefully, you’ve not only seen the relationship, but you’ve gained some insight and learned some techniques to help you identify and manage your anger experience. Finally, I can’t stress enough that I never let myself believe that feeling anger is wrong or bad. It isn’t. However, displacing, mismanaging, stuffing, and abusively displaying anger will only lead to misery for you and those with whom you interact.

At times, it can start with a mere butterfly inside the stomach. As you watch the clock strike each second, the butterfly seems to flutter faster, more intense, making you feel uncomfortable. Then, you begin to feel difficulty in breathing, palpitations, and profuse sweating. This is the usual combination an individual experiences during a panic attack.  This episode is triggered by different events, most of which are situations that make a person feel nervous. Say, a job interview, speech in front of a crowd or merely anticipating for the next panic attack. There is no specific event that pushes this episode to surface. The only thing science knows is its connection to nerve-wracking incidents which can vary from one person to another.

Panic attack symptoms are not limited to those that are mentioned above. According to the Diagnostic Statistics Manual of Mental Disorders of DSM IV, feeling of choking, nausea, chills, hot flushes, numbing, derealisation, and depersonalization are considerable signs of Panic Attack.  If the episode has happened for a number of times, the case can be considered as serious which demands for a professional’s attention.  There are different suggested treatments for panic attacks; some can be as simple as breathing exercise while other cases require medications.

Situations can get serious due to panic attack symptoms that can affect an individual’s everyday activity. There are some cases where a person has to let go of a job due to a severe case of panic attack. Also, this panicky feeling can elevate to phobia which has more serious intensity. This usually transforms to phobia when panic attacks are left untreated.  This case shouldn’t be ignored for it can be debilitating. Socially, a person with a serious panic syndrome might have a problem in a crowd since its syndrome can be embarrassing.

Episode can surface as early as young adulthood. Teens are going through a lot and they are mostly vulnerable to feelings of nervousness. A change in their environment or activities that affect their confidence can sometimes elicit a feeling of nervousness.  It’s always important to talk with your kids and learn if they usually feel a butterfly inside their stomach.

As parents, teachers or employers, it’s very important to be observant.  People with this case might not be aware of their problem.  It would be very helpful to take notice of the Panic Attacks symptoms in order to address the case and treat it.