Panic Attacks

A panic attack is a relatively brief period of intense fear that has a sudden onset and reaches a peak in intensity within ten minutes or less. Common symptoms of a panic attack include:

• Sweating
• Feeling dizzy or faint
• Trembling
• Accelerated heart rate
• Chest pain
• Nausea or upset stomach
• Choking sensation
• Numbness or tingling sensations
• Hot or cold flashes
• Fear of dying, going crazy or losing control
• Shortness of breath
• Feelings of unreality or of being detached from oneself

Normal anxiety actually helps us in stressful situations—whether to get out of the way of a speeding car, to fight off a wild animal or to meet a project deadline. During a panic attack, the mind and body react with this same “fight or flight” response, even though there is no immediate threat.

A frustrating aspect of panic attacks is that they occur in familiar settings, and in situations that do not involve real danger. Nonetheless, the episodes are often accompanied by a sense of impending doom or an urge to escape from wherever the attack is occurring.

After experiencing a panic attack, many panic sufferers worry about having additional attacks. They may also begin to avoid certain situations in which they fear they may experience panic (i.e. being in a crowd, standing in line, traveling in an automobile).