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 a severe problem that causes physical symptoms, emotional turmoil and even anxiety attacks.

Anxiety can go unnoticed. It is easy to confuse anxiety and daily healthy stress. Prolonged anxiety and anxiety attacks should be identified and attended to as soon as possible. Anxiety attacks when left untreated can quickly get 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 loss of memory, confusion, difficulty in concentrating and racing thoughts.

When an attack is occurring, some physical symptoms may be more prevalent. Difficulty breathing, heart pounding or palpitations, weakness or shaking, gastrointestinal discomfort and temperature disturbances are all possible problems that may occur.

When the attack has reached its high point, you’ll notice a feeling of being out of control or losing a grip on yourself. Unfortunately, those experiencing anxiety attacks don’t always recognize their symptoms as an attack.

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.

Normal amounts of stress are vital for keeping the body and mind healthy, but persistent unmanageable stress is not beneficial. You do not have to settle for overwhelming physical and emotional symptoms of stress and anxiety. Take the necessary steps to reduce or alleviate excess stress and anxiety in your life before your anxiety interferes with your daily activities. Learning to combat stress is a valuable tool for maintaining and improving your physical and mental health.

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