Experiencing occasional anxiety is normal for human beings. But when this feeling is persistent and often uncontrollable, you may have anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorder is a mental illness that affects close to 40 million people in any given year. The term anxiety disorder refers to several psychiatric disorders that cause extreme worry or fear in people. People use the term anxiety attacks loosely to mean the same thing. However, the term anxiety attack is non-medical. Knowing how to recognize an anxiety attack is the first step towards seeking treatment at Oceanfront Recovery.
Anxiety Attacks in Relation to Panic Attacks
You can easily think that the two terms are interchangeable most probably because their manner of occurrence is the same. But actually, these two terms refer to completely different medical conditions. A medic at an anxiety treatment program can help you distinguish which of the two you suffer from.
An anxiety attack will have a specific trigger. Maybe an object in your environment or specific events that reminds you of past traumas. This is quite different from panic attacks. Panic attacks are usually sporadic. They can happen even if a person is calm.
Another point of deviation for the two conditions is the degree of their severity. An anxiety attack, in most cases, is mild and manageable. It develops gradually from the point a person starts feeling anxious until it peaks. Panic attacks, on the other hand, are very severe. The attacks can happen and escalate in a very short period. The effects of a panic attack can last from a few minutes to an hour.
The DSM-V lists panic attacks as a symptom of panic disorders. This manual does not list anxiety attack anywhere. So, in essence, a panic attack is a diagnosable condition, while anxiety attacks are not. This does not mean you shouldn’t care about knowing how to recognize an anxiety attack. The information is still crucial.
How to Recognize an Anxiety Attack
An anxiety attack builds up slowly. It can give you enough time to recognize that it is happening. The common sign is the feeling of worry. Sometimes the worrying is inexplicable. Other signs include:
- De-realization – the constant feeling that you don’t have an attachment to the world
- Numbness that can spread throughout the entire body
- Shortness of breath which can give the sense of choking
- Sweating, trembling or chills accompanied by nausea
- Dizziness and in some cases, chest pains develop
Treatment at Oceanfront Recovery
After understanding how to recognize an anxiety attack, the natural step is to seek treatment. Oceanfront Recovery has a mental health treatment center that can help you deal with these attacks. The facility has a variety of treatment methodologies that can help you treat anxiety disorder.
Some of these programs offered include:
- Dual diagnosis treatment program: This is a program that evaluates the patients for both psychiatric and psychological issues that can result from their condition. From the evaluations, caregivers formulate custom treatment plans to help you deal and recover from your condition.
- Aftercare treatment program: This is a support program for recoverees. It helps them to re-integrate back into the structured life of the society. It also offers support in case the recoveree is not confident of sustaining their recovery after leaving the institution.
- Depression treatment program: Constant anxiety attacks can make the victim spiral into depression. This center intends to help you deal with depression as you continue with your treatment on anxiety attacks.
- Residential treatment program: If your anxiety attacks are severe and sporadic, you need to enroll on a full-time basis to a treatment program. This program offers you this chance.
Enroll With Oceanfront Recovery Today
Anxiety attacks can be uncomfortable, especially in public, where you can’t access treatment. Knowing how to recognize an anxiety attack is only the first step towards overcoming this challenge. Seeking professional help is also as important. If you or your loved one suffers from anxiety attacks, contact Oceanfront Recovery at 877.296.7477 today. We are ready to help you overcome the attacks.
