With Mayo Clinic psychiatrist Gabrielle J. Melin, M.D.

Depression can be a challenge to manage. Anxiety and depression may occur together but certainly not always. Be assured that if anxiety accompanies depression, it can be treated.

Anxiety may manifest itself in a multitude of ways including fear, helplessness, a feeling of panic, feeling that something bad may happen, as well as possible physical symptoms. We wouldn't be human if we didn't experience anxiety.

Anxiety is a general term. Anxiety disorders include a number of different specific disorders that includes panic disorder (panic attacks plus other symptoms), generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), phobias (for example, heights, flying, needles), to name a few.

The diagnosis of panic disorder is made when a person has recurring panic attacks accompanied by other specific symptoms and criteria. Therefore, a panic attack is a cluster of symptoms that signify anxiety. A panic attack can include some or all of the following symptoms: sudden onset of extreme fear (panic), shortness of breath, dizziness, feeling hot/cold, a choking sensation, numbness or tingling in the fingers and/or toes, sweating, nausea and/or vomiting, and palpitations or a sensation of heart pounding.

Panic attacks typically last for a few minutes, reach a peak intensity, and then resolve with time. If you do have panic attacks, here are a couple of basic self-management tools:

• Although you may feel completely powerless, anxiety is nothing more than an exaggeration of normal body reactions to stress.
• Tell yourself in a positive tone of voice that this will pass and it is not dangerous.
• Refrain from escalating your panic with frightening thoughts about what is happening and where it will lead ("what if").
• Don't fight the feeling of panic, accept it. Get as comfortable as possible without fleeing. You could sit or lean on something.

Many medical illnesses can cause anxiety symptoms, so seeing a professional is important for the right diagnosis.

Finally, we want you to know that we do read through all of the comments you send, but cannot answer all of them. Our goal is to provide accurate information and stimulate conversations amongst visitors. Thanks for visiting our blog and have a great week.

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