Panic is related to the “fight or flight” mechanism. It’s a reaction brought on by outside stimulus and is a product of the sympathetic nervous system. Panic in general is a sudden fear that can dominate or replace our thinking. Panic usually occurs in a situation that is perceived to be health or life threatening. Panic is an anxiety state were thinking about.

Stress is a psychosocial reaction. Its influenced by the way a person filters nonthreatening external events. The filtering is based on the person’s assumptions, ideas and expectations. These assumptions, ideas and expectations can be referred to as social constructionism.

Panic and stress both play important roles in the natural survival instinct. The preparations for fight or flight are the bodys defense mechanisms. Preparing for which ever course of action is decided upon to preserve life, health or whatever is in danger.

Anxiety doesn’t always stem from an actual need for fear or defensive action. Escaping situations that make us anxious may bring relief, but these feelings are intensified when we face similar situations. This encourages us to escape the situation again instead of working through the anxiety.

A study by the National Comorbidity Survey reported that 58% of patients suffering major depression also exhibited lifetime anxiety. Agitated depression and akathitic depression are most often referred to when supporting these results. Both of these depressed states exhibit anxiety with heightened restlessness, suicidal thoughts or tendencies and a general sense of dread. While agitated depression includes symptoms of nonclinical and nonspecific panic, akathitic depression doesnt.

Even mild anxiety symptoms are being found to have an impact on the course depression takes in individuals. A study at the University of Pittsburg showed patients diagnosed with depression and also suffering lifetime panic symptoms experienced significant delays in the success of their treatments. These patients also exhibited additional problems when facing the resumption of their normal activities.

There are theories regarding the possibility that depression acts similar to anxiety in attempting to encourage avoidance of potentially harmful situations. Anxiety tries to avoid and prepare for physical danger, while depression tries to avoid emotional or psychological danger.

The attacks usually last about ten minutes, but can be as short as one minute. In severe cases, these attacks can happen in cycles. These cycles may last for extended periods. These cycles can cause anticipation anxiety between episodes.

Physical symptoms of anxiety attacks generally include shortness of breath, heart palpitations and sweating. Tingling and numbness in the extremities, dizziness, lightheadedness, headaches and nausea are also commonly experienced. These may appear to be random, but theyre actually the result of the bodys preparations for protection.

The anxiety attack is brought on by a sudden onset of fear. In response, the body releases adrenaline followed by increases in the heart and breathing rate and production of sweat (to regulate body temperature). These actions prepare the body for the physical activities of fighting or escaping. Because the anticipated strenuous activity rarely follows the panic attack, these reactions result in physical discomfort.

The increased heart rate is felt as heart palpitations. Rapid breathing (hyperventilation) results in a drop in carbon dioxide levels in the lungs and blood. This leads to the tingling, numbness, dizziness and lightheadedness. The adrenaline causes a narrowing of the blood vessels which results in less blood flow to the head. This also contributes to the lightheadedness and headaches.