A panic attack is a human experience which can be at times most uncomfortable. It could strike an unaware person anytime. It is often characterized by hard and fast palpitations of the heart, shortening of breath, tightening of the chest, dizziness, choking sensations, sweating, fainting, shaking, trembling, and itching of the feet and hands.

It is a misconception to associate some of its symptoms with heart attacks due to the presence of suffocation, which creates the fear inside you thinking that you are going to die. However these effects are only psychological which is usually accompanied by unreal feelings, fear of getting insane, strong desire of running away, and fear to do anything which is beyond control.

There are several triggering factors causing these reactions of panic attacks. Learning the truth about it will help you feel better and start overcoming it.

- The fears being felt by an individual during that time is real, however it is only the result of physiological and adrenaline responses. When you are under threat, you consider these responses useful but it will just frighten you because your mind forces you to think that you are into that situation.

- The shortness of breathing is the result of breathing more swiftly using your chest s upper portion reducing the supply of oxygen into your brain. This results to disorientation and unreal feelings. In this manner, you will think that you are going crazy although you are not because mental disability is slowly developed. Other effects include light headedness thinking you are going to faint. Just use the lower part of your abdomen for breathing to overcome this feeling.

- Adrenaline also causes dilation in the blood vessels giving your legs a jellylike feeling which make you tremble and later on become afraid of falling. If you do not fight back this feeling, it will just normally disappear.

- Inner ears are also affected due to the tensions that you are feeling, which causes dizziness and a perception that everything surrounding you are rotating. However it is not dangerous and just passes away naturally.

- Tension and stress are the primary causes of muscles tightening in the chest and neck, which reduces your breathing ability. This will not suffocate you because the built-in reflex in your brain will immediately force you again to breathe normally.

- It is not true that heart palpitations can cause heart attacks. If you have a healthy heart, it is just normal if it beats as much as 200 times per minute for several weeks and still go on functioning normally. Take note that a heart attack is very different from a racing heart.

- It is only a myth when you say that you are totally out of control. You never lose control of anything because you have a particular goal in mind, escaping.

In every problem, there is always a solution. Panic attacks can never have again the power to make you afraid. You need to immerse yourself in doing regular exercises and deep relaxation practice. Eliminate stimulants such as caffeine, sugar, nicotine, chocolate, and other stimulant drugs. It is important to express and acknowledge your feelings like sadness and anger because denying these feelings will comeback and haunt you through panic attacks. As much as possible, challenge thinking patterns which are negative by talking to yourself to promote a more accepting and calmer approach towards life. Changing your lifestyle could make a big difference.