There are many reasons why people suffer from anxiety attacks. However, it is important to remember that some stress is actually good for our bodies. We need stress in order to motivate us, get our adrenalin pumping, and to invigorate our nervous system. Nevertheless, when stress and anxiety become too severe, and our bodies go into defense mode, mild to severe anxiety attacks can occur.
A mild anxiety attack can occur when our bodies think that we are in danger and begin preparing for defense. This is an illusion, however, since there is generally not any danger present. In fact, most anxiety attacks are caused by an underlying fear that a situation represents to us, not the actual situation itself. With a severe anxiety attack, you can experience a feeling of doom and even impending death. A mild anxiety attack, however, might just increase your alertness. There are many symptoms of mild anxiety attacks and some of them can still feel quite serious.
The most common mild anxiety attack symptoms are physical. You may begin to sweat, have shortness of breath, or feel a little bit dizzy. You might even tremble or shake a little bit, but it shouldn’t be severe. Afterwards, you might feel lightheaded, as if you just stood up too quickly. Occasionally, there is also a tingling sensation in your feet, hands, and face. This should feel similar to the feeling you get when part of your body falls asleep.
Other mild anxiety attack symptoms might not be physical at all. You might find yourself having difficulty thinking straightly. Or, you might want to withdraw from social situations. In some cases, your mind might seem to race and you may have trouble focusing on one specific thing because you feel as though your mind is “jumping” around.
When this occurs, you might feel the need to get away. Being around other people might make you physically nervous and anxious due to the amount of people or the loud noises that they could be producing, or you could feel as though you can’t control your actions and behavior and you need to get away. Either way, it’s important to remember that you are okay and that more than likely everything you are experiencing is internal and not something that people are going to notice.
The important thing to do during a mild anxiety attack is to try to ride it out and not try to fight it. Mild anxiety attacks are generally not long-lasting and are over quickly. If you try to fight it, it might even lead you to feeling more stressed and more anxious, thus enhancing the attack itself.