I breathe so fast, get sick to my stomach, and my legs start to give way. Because some people feel greater anguish at a psychiatric rather than a medical diagnosis, they will sometimes become angry or haughty if friends, family or their primary physician suggest that they may have an emotional condition. Hopefully, this article and a discussion with your family physician will be the start of a process of education about anxiety disorders and their treatment. This is the quickest way to reduce any misguided shame a person might feel. Often, just talking with a doctor or counselor about the symptoms one is experiencing and learning more about the nature of anxiety can demystify it to some degree.
Anxiety is a straightforward and very treatable condition.
In many cases treatment results in the person's feeling as though they are living for the first time. Though people experiencing anxiety sometimes prefer to attribute their symptoms to physical conditions, there are real medical conditions that may cause what looks like anxiety. These must always be ruled out. 5 Drugs like amphetamines and cocaine, caffeine and alcohol may all precipitate anxiety attacks. There are also many medications, both prescription and over-the counter, that can precipitate anxiety.