Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Panic Attacks - What Happens Inside Your Body

Panic Attacks are an automatic response of the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is the automatic nervous system, the one responsible for mobilizing the resources of the body under stress.

Panic attacks are triggered by the "flight or fight" response. The flight or fight is a response that gets triggered by a stimuli associated with danger. Simply put it is an automatic response to fear.

In the event of a panic attack there are numerous processes that take place in the human body. First the brain has already interpreted a threat and sends a signal to the adrenal glands to produce adrenalin. Adrenalin is a hormone and a neurotransmitter. When produced in the body it increases heart rate, contracts blood vessels and dilates air passages. Its purpose is to prepare the body for quick reaction.

The heart starts to pump faster providing the muscles with more oxygen.

Eye pupils dilate in order to take in more light.

The veins in the skin constrict in order to send more blood to major muscle groups. This bodily reaction is responsible for the chills and shaking that people feel when experiencing a panic attack. The redistribution of blood means that there is less blood to keep the skin warm and this also makes it loose color and look pale.

The levels of blood-glucose increase. Glucose is the simplest form of sugar and is quickly absorbed by the body. This means that the body has released into the blood stream extra energy resources.

Muscles tense up - energized from the adrenaline and glucose.

Smooth muscles relax in order to take more oxygen.

None essential systems like digestion, hair and nail growth and also the immune system shut down. This is the reason why people often experience feeling of indigestion.

Temporally the human body is functioning at its best, absorbing stored energy, vitamins and minerals in order for it to run and fight at its hardest.

Once a panic attack has started all these processes happen automatically. Adrenalin is a hormone and once released into the blood stream there is nothing a person can do to stop producing its effects physically. However people can prepare mentally in order to prevent panic attacks from happening.

Visit www.gopanicfree.com for additional free information.

This article is part of the A-Cafe Anxiety Portal. To view all other related articles on anxiety and panic attacks visit www.gopanicfree.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Smalling

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