Many people know very little about the causes and symptoms of panic attack before the original onset and will most certainly not think to immediately find help through anxiety support groups.
Some will try to ignore the condition and find it impossible to do so: the sudden feeling of sheer terror, of being out of control, shortness of breath, trembling, teeth chattering with cold or burning up and sweating.
The primary symptoms can last 10 minutes or more but the full recovery can take hours, leaving the victim drained and exhausted.
This may send some directly to the emergency room or to an expedited appointment with the family physician.
Others will try to hide the condition, ashamed, thinking they are losing their minds or worse.
Hiding the condition is especially common among the group with the highest onset rate, girls aged 13 to 18, but they are not the only ones to keep those times of terror a secret, cutting themselves off from people who care and from getting help.
The good news is that you are not losing your mind nor have you done anything yourself to bring on these painful situations.
And you need not hide your condition.
You are among an estimated six million other Americans who will suffer panic attacks within the year.
There is help available especially if you are well-armed with knowledge about your condition and can speak and understand rationally with others about what you are experiencing.
However, not everyone can relate to your condition and think you may need to just "get past it.
" That is not true of your fellow sufferers.
They empathize with you and know how lost you feel when trying to deal with panic attacks alone.
They can help you expand your knowledge, share experiences and reassure you that there is help available.
There are many online support groups but the best interaction is face-to-face.
The Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA), is a widely respected national nonprofit organization involved in research, education, treatment and cure for anxiety disorders.
Their website lists anxiety support groups in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.
S.
Virgin Islands.
For those who do not live near a support group location, they also list recommended online sites.
See http://www.
adaa.
org/finding-help/getting-support/support-groups for more information.
Copyright 2009 Nick Adams
Some will try to ignore the condition and find it impossible to do so: the sudden feeling of sheer terror, of being out of control, shortness of breath, trembling, teeth chattering with cold or burning up and sweating.
The primary symptoms can last 10 minutes or more but the full recovery can take hours, leaving the victim drained and exhausted.
This may send some directly to the emergency room or to an expedited appointment with the family physician.
Others will try to hide the condition, ashamed, thinking they are losing their minds or worse.
Hiding the condition is especially common among the group with the highest onset rate, girls aged 13 to 18, but they are not the only ones to keep those times of terror a secret, cutting themselves off from people who care and from getting help.
The good news is that you are not losing your mind nor have you done anything yourself to bring on these painful situations.
And you need not hide your condition.
You are among an estimated six million other Americans who will suffer panic attacks within the year.
There is help available especially if you are well-armed with knowledge about your condition and can speak and understand rationally with others about what you are experiencing.
However, not everyone can relate to your condition and think you may need to just "get past it.
" That is not true of your fellow sufferers.
They empathize with you and know how lost you feel when trying to deal with panic attacks alone.
They can help you expand your knowledge, share experiences and reassure you that there is help available.
There are many online support groups but the best interaction is face-to-face.
The Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA), is a widely respected national nonprofit organization involved in research, education, treatment and cure for anxiety disorders.
Their website lists anxiety support groups in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.
S.
Virgin Islands.
For those who do not live near a support group location, they also list recommended online sites.
See http://www.
adaa.
org/finding-help/getting-support/support-groups for more information.
Copyright 2009 Nick Adams