Teenagers can experience anxiety and stress just like adults. However, anxiety can escalate to the point that it can trigger anxiety attacks. Anxiety attacks in teens can occur for the exact same reasons as adult attacks. The symptoms are also the same. This article will explain why teens experience anxiety attacks, what to do, and how to treat them.
What are Anxiety Attack Symptoms?
An anxiety attack can be frightening for teenagers and adults. The symptoms of panic attacks (anxiety) include tightness in the chest, nausea, dizziness and trembling / shaking.
You should always seek medical advice if you have any of these symptoms. We will assume that you are experiencing true anxiety attacks for the purposes of this article.
What Causes Teen Anxiety Attacks?
Let's start with a teenager or adult who experiences https://herbalsonlineshopee.co.uk/barnet/ normal levels of anxiety and stress. These people can handle the normal stressful events of modern living without too much difficulty. The stressors are not added to their usual everyday stress levels and anxiety levels.
If someone already has high anxiety and is facing similar stressors, the additional stressors can increase their anxiety levels. This is especially true for teenagers who may be faced with stressful situations such as exams, going on dates, breaking up with their boyfriend or girlfriend, problems at school, college, sports competitions, and speaking on stage.
The body's unconscious mind incorrectly interprets a spike in anxiety and stress above the critical level as a sign of danger. This is when the body and mind switch to a "fight or flight" mode. This is the body's primal reaction to defend itself against danger.
There is no physical danger. The unconscious mind has simply'read' the anxiety spike and switched to fight or flight mode. Certain chemical and physical reactions can be triggered in this mode to help you escape trouble or to get to safety.
You don't know if there is a physical danger, so you start experiencing these unexpected and unwelcome symptoms. An anxiety attack.
Anxiety Attacks Treatment Options
The first line treatment is usually drug-based medication like tranquilizers, antidepressants, and/or beta blockers. These medications are used to manage and control chemical reactions in the brain to alleviate anxiety symptoms and anxiety attacks. While these can be effective for some, they can have severe side effects such as diarrhea and dependency. This is why so many sufferers are turning to natural remedies.
Some doctors may also recommend non-drug treatments such as counselling, support groups, psychotherapy, and self-help remedies such as meditation, selfhypnosis, yoga or acupuncture. You can also find other remedies like massage, herbal treatments, controlled breathing exercises and good diet.
All of these can help you "cope" with your condition while the drugs treat the symptoms. They all overlook one thing.
Fear of anxiety attacks - Beat This and Beat Anxiety
Anxiety attacks in teens can be caused by anxiety. Anyone who has them will experience a fear of having another one. Because the symptoms can be so terrifying, this is normal. This fear adds to their already high anxiety and makes it worse. As we have seen, a common everyday event can quickly turn into a fight/flight response that triggers anxiety attacks.