How does an anxiety attack feel?

A few weeks ago, I received a message from my husband: Please call me.

When you've been with someone for over 15 years, even in a message as brief as that, you can tell when something is wrong. In our case, when he wants to talk to me, he calls me; just like that, straightforwardly.

I called him immediately and he answered, agitated, telling me he didn’t know what was happening to him. He was in his office talking to a client and started to feel disturbed, irritable, couldn’t stop sweating, felt impatient to talk to that person, and had a sensation in his chest that he had never felt before, which he could only describe as anguish, and he was having trouble breathing.

Listening to him, I deduced that it was an anxiety attack, so I wanted to convey calmness by telling him precisely that: You are having an anxiety attack, you just need to breathe with me following the count I’m going to do: inhale for 4: 1, 2, 3, 4; hold for 4: 1, 2, 3, 4; exhale for 4: 1, 2, 3, 4; and we repeat a couple more times.

Surprised, he told me it was amazing that such a simple exercise was helping him feel better. He said he had to hang up, but that he would continue doing that breathing exercise for the rest of the afternoon.

When he got home, he mentioned that he called his doctor to explain and told him it was indeed an anxiety attack and that he just needed to calm down. But of course, how easy it is to say! As the meme says, telling someone to calm down has calmed 0 people in this world. And he thanked me for helping him with the breathing exercise which, along with standing in front of the air conditioning, was the only thing that made him feel better.

We don't know what triggered the anxiety attack; it very likely was a high level of stress.

After what happened, I kept thinking about how, even though I have personally never had an anxiety attack, just knowing the symptoms and the importance of breathing to relieve symptoms allowed me to help him.

So, we asked you all in our Instagram Stories about how much you know about anxiety attacks, and we were struck that 63% of the participants believe they have had an episode, but only 61% know the symptoms; so, how real was the percentage of people who have suffered from it, if 59% don’t even know what an anxiety attack feels like?

And here we are, putting our grain of sand with this post, so that more people know what the symptoms of an anxiety attack are. Because you never know when you might have an anxiety attack or someone in your surroundings; and recognizing what you are feeling, naming it, and knowing how to act can make a difference.

What is an anxiety attack?

Most people feel anxiety in certain situations; it is a normal reaction to the presence of a stress factor. However, as soon as this stress factor disappears, the feeling of anxiety also usually disappears.

An anxiety attack is a temporary state of extreme anxiety, in which suddenly you feel short of breath, have palpitations, a pressure in your chest, you may feel dizzy, fear of losing control, or even fear of dying.

What are the symptoms of an anxiety attack?

Anxiety attacks can start from a calm state or from a state of anxiety, and can manifest in different ways, but in general, episodes appear suddenly and reach their maximum intensity within a few minutes.

The symptoms can be so intense that many people believe they are suffering a heart attack.

These are the most common symptoms of an anxiety attack:

·      Feeling of nervousness or tension

·      Difficulty breathing, feeling of suffocation or hyperventilation

·      Pressure in the chest

·      Feeling of agitation, palpitations, or rapid heartbeat

·      Sweating

·      Trembling

·      Headache

·      Nausea

·      Feeling of imminent danger

·      Feeling of weakness or fatigue

·      Uncontrollable crying

·      Problems concentrating or thinking of anything other than the episode they are experiencing

·      Problems falling asleep

What to do during an anxiety attack?

Anxiety attacks can be terrifying, but there are some things you can do to cope better.

Psycho-education can make a big difference for the person experiencing an anxiety attack. This means that the person has enough information to identify what they are feeling, can name it, and most importantly, knows how to act. And that is precisely what you are doing by reading this post.

During an anxiety attack:

·      Focus on your breathing. In a moment like this you won't remember what the ideal duration of the exercise was, so choose a number and inhale, hold, and exhale for that many seconds. That is, if you choose for example 4, inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, and exhale for 4 seconds. Common sense dictates that you shouldn’t choose a very short duration, as it’s about controlling your breathing and lowering your heart rate. Additionally, focusing on this activity will also help you calm down.

·      Put one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. Some people find it helps to feel the movement of their own breathing while taking deep breaths.

·      Focus on your senses. Eat something sweet and concentrate on the taste, or touch something soft.

And something you won't find in medical posts but that was very helpful for my husband and is worth sharing, was to stand in front of a source of fresh air (fan, air conditioning, a window).

How long does an anxiety attack last?

An anxiety attack can last from 10 to 50 minutes from when it reaches its maximum intensity. You may return to your previous state (either calm or anxious) after the episode; however, in other cases, it is possible to maintain a moderate level of anxiety for several hours or even have the crisis repeated later.

When to consult your doctor?

If you identify with any of these points, you should see your doctor:

·      If the fear of having anxiety attacks prevents you from living a normal life.

·      If you feel that your worry interferes with your life.

·      If you feel depressed.

·      If you have at least two anxiety attacks and they appear spontaneously, without a previous situation that justifies that level of anxiety.

·      If you have problems with alcohol or drug use, or have other mental health issues along with anxiety.

·      If you show additional symptoms that make you suspect it is not an anxiety attack.

·      If the anxiety attack began shortly after starting a new medical treatment.

·      If you have suicidal thoughts or behaviors, go to emergency.

How can massage therapy help with anxiety attacks?

It is not possible to know for sure what causes anxiety attacks; however, there are some measures you can take to keep your anxiety levels under control.

According to some studies*, massage therapy reduces cortisol levels (the stress hormone) by up to 33% and increases serotonin and dopamine (neurotransmitters that help stabilize mood) by between 28% and 31%.

Additionally, engaging in activities that promote your well-being will always have a positive effect on your mood.

*Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16162447/

How to book a home massage appointment to manage anxiety?

Booking with Zen to Go is very easy and simple, either through the website www.zentogo.com.mx or by downloading the App (available for iOS and Android).

1. After creating your account with your contact details and address, the system will confirm our coverage in your area.

2. Customize your session by choosing the technique, duration, and preferred gender of the therapist. We recommend adding in the notes that your goal is to calm anxiety.

3. Choose the date and time of your preference, being able to see the real availability of the therapists.

4. Securely provide the details of a credit card to guarantee the reservation, through the prestigious payment processor Stripe.

5. And enjoy the luxury SPA experience at home that Zen to Go offers. The therapists arrive with everything necessary: massage table, clean and fresh sheets, quality essential oils, and relaxing music.