Anxiety Disorder is a condition that puts you in a constant state of alertness and fear. You will have days when you feel relatively normal and can get on with your day without too much difficulty. But there are more days when you feel unable to cope with some of the basic daily tasks.

Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder can include pounding heart, tightening throat, a sense of suffocation, physical trembling, sweating and disorganized thinking. When your body is in such a state of tension and dread, it’s difficult to think logically. Instead, you will focus on the anxiety which actually will make it worse.

Panic Attacks occur when when the Anxiety Disorder is out of control. This is a much more paralyzing state than the anxiety and usually doesn’t last more than about 20 minutes. Anxiety Disorder, on the other hand, is a more constant condition that reflects on all aspects of your life beginning when you first open your eyes in the morning.

It’s important to note that panic attacks are not restricted to people with Anxiety Disorder. In fact, one in three people will suffer at least one panic attack in their lives. For most of them, the attack will only happen once and then they are gone forever. Quite often, they will occur during a particularly stressful time or during an especially devastating event.

They don’t happen just to people who are shy, reserved and withdrawn. They also happen to people who are confident, self-assured and outgoing, which you wouldn’t expect because the condition of anxiety can be directly linked to a lack of confidence. Clearly, we can all suffer a drop in confidence when the time is right.

A panic attack can feel like you are dying, but there are no reports of anyone dying from a panic attack. One attack can have a lasting impact on your life. Having your confidence waver once is enough to create a more lasting feeling of doubt about your capabilities.

The potential for those lasting feelings is a good reason to seek solutions quickly. The longer those doubts last, the more they will overtake your life. And the more your life is affected, the more difficult it will be to recover.

You might not need to start at the doctor’s office. You can begin by practicing relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation and hypnosis. Distraction is also a good technique. Taking on an old hobby or starting a new one can transfer your thoughts away from yourself and your Anxiety Disorder.

You can also adjust your diet to ensure you are getting the right foods and none of the ones that can trigger anxiety, such as caffeine and alcohol. Sugary foods should be avoided because they can cause swings in glucose levels which can also bring on an anxiety attack. It’s important to keep your energy levels steady by eating smaller meals more often.

Another option is to join a support group, either in your neighborhood or in online forums to share your thoughts and feelings about your Anxiety Disorder and panic attacks.

As a quick fix during a panic attack or anxiety attack, breathe into an empty bag. When we are afraid, we breathe heavier which boosts the oxygen in our blood and can cause dizziness. By breathing into an empty bag, you will level off the amount of oxygen you are inhaling and subsequently slow down your heart rate. In turn, you will begin to feel the attack subside.

If none of the above work or work only minimally and your condition persists, that’s the time to seek your doctor’s assistance. He might prescribe anti-depressants, but for best results they should be used in combination with talk therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy. These are used to help change the beliefs that are causing your anxiety and panic attacks. Your doctor can refer you to a specialist in this treatment.