Fight or Flight Mechanism When we sense danger, the body prepares itself to either fight or run away. This is known as fight or flight mechanism. This mechanism is triggered mostly by a part of the brain called Amygdale. Sometimes the brain misunderstands the message and a situation and translated it as dangerous when it is not in reality. Shortness of Breath Shortness of breath is another anxiety attack symptom that is seen a lot because of someone feeling panicked due to other symptoms they are experiencing. The shortness of breath can seem like your world is caving in, but by being able to recognize the symptom as part of an anxiety attack, you can more easily control this. Anxiety over a party, a loved one, even anxiety over what clothes to wear can cause an anxiety panic attack. One of the key features of an anxiety panic attack is the focus of the attack. When a person experiences such panic, usually the panic has a central trigger. For some people, who tend to experience chronic panic attacks, the trigger tends to be the same thing. The heart races, the blood quickens, the eyes function differently, senses are heightened, and other parts of the body begin to react in other ways such as muscles tightening, etc. Anxiety attack heart difficulties can arise from the heart being told to work too fast by the brain, which is in charge of the “fight or flight” mechanism. For example, the likelihood of a generally out of shape individual with poor time management skills and poor stress management skills of experiencing a panic attack in a stressful situation is significantly higher than that of a well adjusted person that is confident with their time and stress management skills. In order to control panic attack symptoms, you need to help prevent them in the first place. Options One option is to consult a physician about taking antidepressants. Some medicines on the market, such as Paxil and Prozac, can help panic attack sufferers from reoccurrences. Another option available is cognitive-behavior therapy.