In this day and age, as we attempt to juggle demanding careers, chaotic schedules, and important family time, we are often left to our own devices when it comes to managing stress. For some, stress on an every day basis is just par for the course in trying to be everything to everyone. But, for others, high levels of stress can result in an anxiety attack – either as an isolated incident or as part of an overall panic disorder.

Unfortunately, it seems that more and more people are suffering from these sometimes debilitating attacks. But surely a possibility is that with a greater focus on these panic related disorders more people are able to finally put a name to their condition and are coming to the forefront to find relief.

An anxiety attack – sometimes referred to as a panic attack – is a physiological reaction to psychological stress. And yet the physical symptoms felt during an anxiety attack are completely real to those who are experiencing them. During such an episode sufferers report feeling an intense level of fear that is so powerful that it is often incapacitating.

Other symptoms of an anxiety attack include shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, sweating, heart palpitations, and chest pain. In fact, many people in the throes of a panic attack confuse the symptoms with those of a heart attack. Most frightening, however, can be the feeling of suffocating. It’s no wonder that those who suffer from these attacks – whether they have experienced it once or frequently – report that it has been one of the most terrifying experiences of their life.

The stimulus associated with an anxiety attack is different for everyone; but when that stimulus is faced, adrenaline is released in the body which in turn provokes our natural fight or flight reaction. Under normal circumstances we are able to fight through this event but when a panic attack occurs, we become stuck in this phase; our heart rate escalates causing the onset of increased sweating and hyperventilation.

Statistics predict that one in sixty people will suffer an anxiety attack at least once during their lifetime. Such an attack is typically in response to an exorbitant amount of stress; stress that instigates the fight or flight response that’s in all of us. For those who struggle with anxiety, this feeling comes up more often than in other people. Researchers are still trying to uncover the different physiological makeup of someone who suffers from intense feelings of anxiety.

When an anxiety attack surfaces it is often with little or no warning and can last anywhere from several minutes to several hours. Following such an attack, a sufferer may often experience extreme exhaustion and "crash" for a period of time.

While a particularly difficult period of time or difficult event can lead to overall anxiety and the provocation of a periodic attack, those who suffer from ongoing panic attacks may often be diagnosed with anxiety disorder – or panic disorder. Panic disorder should be treated by a doctor and may require the use of medication to reduce levels of anxiety.