Are You Sick?

Anxiety Attacks: Facts

• Happens in 1-2% of people.
• Risk factors: anxiety attacks are genetic. They tend to occur in families.
• Age of onset: teens or young adults
• Cause: release of stress hormones as when "under attack"
• Triggers of attacks: life stressors, though many attacks are unexpected
• Length of attacks: 20-30 minutes
• How often attacks happen: no set pattern
• Side effect: patient avoids social settings for fear of having an attack
• Treatment, if frequent: Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). SSRI meds may also be prescribed by a provider. They can turn down the volume on anxious thoughts.

Normal Anxiety and Worries:

• Anxiety is a normal response to stressful events.
• It also protects us from real dangers.
• All people feel anxious at times. It is a normal emotion that will always be part of you.
• But, anxiety can be managed so that it does not keep you from doing normal things.