Mild anxiety attacks can last for days and even weeks if they never either come to a head or are dealt with and are simply a reaction to a sustained level of stress. Just as a full blown panic attack has many symptoms a mild one does too, although these can be harder to define and can be a lot harder to get rid of.

One of the most common symptoms of mild anxiety attack experiences is known as 'air hunger'. This is basically the feeling that you can never quite catch your breath and perhaps that the amount you are breathing in is not 'right'. This comes as a result of the high levels of adrenaline hormone released into our blood when we feel anxious. The adrenaline prepares our body to either run from whatever the 'threat' may be or fight it head on. In modern life neither of these actions are usually necessary to we have a surplus of adrenaline and this stays in our systems unused, causing havoc.

The symptoms of mild anxiety attack experiences almost always include a loss of appetite and frequent trips to the toilet. This is essentially our body preparing us to run and be as 'light' as possible. Some people when under a lot of stress may vomit after eating as their body doesn't want them to be sluggish if they need to flee. Of course this evolutionary trait isn't needed in modern society and it can be a huge hindrance when we find our blood sugar low. Because symptoms of mild anxiety attacks also include shaking, dizziness and sweating a lack of proper eating can make them even worse. If you do find yourself unable to keep food down because of a sustained mild anxiety attack then it's a good idea to visit your doctor who may be able to prescribe you temporary medication to keep you calm through a certain time period or refer you to a therapist who will teach you a coping mechanism for your worries that will help rid you of the symptoms of mild anxiety attack experiences.

Another mild anxiety symptom is headaches. These can arise because our eyes work harder to see every detail and absorb all the light they possibly can, so we don't 'miss a trick' and jeopardize our survival, were we in a life threatening situation. This can mean everything seems too bright, very colorful and overwhelming so our heads begin to hurt. While these headaches can be dumbed down with painkillers it's more advisable to tackle the root cause of our anxieties so that they don't cause any more problems. Another possible cause of headaches in a mild anxiety attack is that we tense the muscle around our neck, back and head too much without realizing.

Our bodies do all of these things during an anxiety attack in preparation to use them in fighting or running from a threat. Doing some light exercise followed by a warm bath with lavender and bergamot oils in it is a quick fix for loosening up your muscles, calming you down and using up your excess adrenaline.

Stan Tian

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