Anxiety attack disorders are actually a form of “anxiety disorder.” “Anxiety disorder” is an umbrella term that is used to describe a variety of mental health problems. Typically, an “anxiety disorder” can range in its severity. The disorder is as likely to be centered on minor fears as it is to describe major phobias. An agoraphobic, for example, is someone who cannot leave his or her home because the fear of doing so is too crippling.

Anxiety attack disorders typically describe conditions in which people get so scared that they end up suffering physically. This includes people who might suddenly feel like they are going to die but now know where the fear is coming from. The person might begin hyperventilating and experiencing heart arrhythmias. Anxiety attacks can also show themselves in a number of other ways and nobody is sure which exact triggers bring them on.

Just because you have a panic attack does not mean that you are suffering from an anxiety attack disorder. If, on the other hand, you notice that you have panic attacks somewhat regularly or if they start occurring frequently, you should contact a mental health professional. When it comes to anxiety disorders, only qualified counselors can actually diagnose you with an anxiety disorder.

After you are diagnosed, how do you treat your anxiety attack disorder? Panic attacks can be treated in a variety of ways. One person might decide to try changing their lifestyles. Others might try medication. Cognitive behavioral therapy has proved to work well for some people. Still other people have found that anxiolytics and antidepressants are the best treatment for their disorder.

Of course, the most successful treatments of anxiety attack disorders has been therapy. Your therapist will work with you to learn the various triggers that bring on the attacks. Your therapist will teach you how to recognize the beginning symptoms of an anxiety attack—both physically and mentally. From there your counselor will teach you how to acknowledge your panic and work it through.

It is very important that those who suffer from anxiety attack disorders tell their family and friends about the disorder. It is very helpful to anxiety attack disorder patients to have people around them who recognize and understand the signs of an impending panic attack. The more people you have around you who can understand the disorder, the better off you will be. People who suffer from anxiety attack disorders don’t always realize their feelings as a panic attack but the people around them will and can be helpful in calming the sufferer down.

You are more likely to suffer from panic attacks if someone in your family suffers from an anxiety attack disorder. While you might not suffer from an all out anxiety attack disorder, you will probably still be a lot more susceptible to stress and panic. Learning everything you can about how anxiety disorders work is the best thing you do to learn how to keep your anxiety under control.