For those who suffer from panic-related disorders, the road to recognition, diagnosis and recovery can be long and frightening. Despite what some people may think, an anxiety attack is very real for the person suffering from it and can create a number of other symptoms that are troubling. The symptoms of an attack range from those that mimic heart attacks and strokes to somewhat less serious conditions.

The road to dealing with an anxiety-related condition begins with first understanding what it is and recognizing its symptoms. Basically, a panic or anxiety attack involves rapid onset fear that strikes without warning and doesn't seem to have a cause. The feeling can be crippling and is worse than simply "feeling anxious" or being "stressed." Often, those suffering from an attack will not be able to identify what thoughts or feelings triggered the attack.

Having a single anxiety attack doesn't necessarily signal a real problem that will continue. In fact, it is estimated that at least one out of 75 people worldwide will experience a full-fledged attack at some point in their life. Many people who experience an attack never have one again, but others will experience them repeatedly.

For those who have repeat attacks, they could be part of a more troublesome emotional disorder or a period of severe stress in one's life. Panic disorder itself is considered one of the most common emotional illnesses, yet is the least treated. This is perhaps due to a person's embarrassment about the condition or unwillingness to admit there is a serious problem.

Unfortunately for those who suffer from repeat attacks, the symptoms can be very difficult to deal with. Since many manifest in a similar fashion to other illnesses, it can be very tough to sort out what's a panic attack and what is another condition. If the severity is great, attacks can force a person to miss work or school or even retreat from society entirely.

The prime symptoms of an attack include chest pains, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, a feeling of dizziness, abdominal pains and a closed-in feeling. When these symptoms recur on a regular basis or semi-regular basis, often without warning, this might be a full-fledged disorder and reason to seek medical advice.

Anxiety disorder is a little bit different. This involves nagging thoughts and stress about routine events. When they last for more than six months, this is considered an actual disorder, which most likely requires medical attention. As it is with panic disorder, anxiety disorder also comes with some very real physical symptoms. These include extreme fatigue, tremors, muscle tension, severe headaches and even nausea.

Dealing with anxiety related disorders isn't something that should be done alone. There are viable options for working through the issues that cause it and medications that can lessen the symptoms. Many, many people suffer from anxiety attacks and don't seek help, choosing instead to go it alone.

Considering the troublesome nature of the symptoms for both anxiety and panic disorders, it's not a good idea to try and tough it out. Since help is available and these symptoms can put a stranglehold on every day life, it just makes sense to take the bull by the horns and try to work through the issues.