Symptom Explainer: Panic Attacks

What Is a Panic Attack?

Panic attacks are episodes of severe overwhelming fear. Symptoms develop fast and reach their peak within 10 minutes. They rarely last more than an hour but the time can be variable between episodes and between people.

These episodes don’t always coincide with long-term mental health difficulties. Any all-encompassing overwhelme and terror event can trigger people to panic.

Panic attacks are related to the stress response system. Long-term overwhelm, immediate reminders of trauma, or other outside experiences activate the body’s stress responses. The fight, flight and freeze responses being activated can all cause an episode of hyperarousal and stress. So your body and mind panic because your body is reading the situation as a serious threat happening.

People can develop panic attacks that are recurrent and can cause continuous stress and harm. These recurrent panic attacks often pile on themselves. When a situation has caused a panic attack before it can become a trigger after that one experience. So if you had a panic attack from fear of public speaking you are more likely to start having panic attacks when you have to speak in front of people. You can also develop anxiety symptoms about having another panic attack causing panic attacks to happen more.

There are often triggers for people who have them recurrently but they can happen with no warning. Panic attacks most often occur when there isn’t any immediate danger but they can also happen when there is real danger as part of a stress response.

Symptoms:

Possible Physical Symptoms:

Abdominal cramping & distress
Chest pain or discomfort
Chills or heat sensations
Fast beating, fluttering or pounding heart
Fear of dying
Feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed or faint
Feelings of choking
Headache
Hyperventilation
Nausea
Numbness or tingling sensations
Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
Sweating
Trembling or shaking

Possible Mental Symptoms:

Depersonalization
Derealization
Fear of losing control
Fear of imminent death
Feeling like you are going crazy
Sense of impending doom or danger

Who Gets Panic Attacks?

Any person can get panic attacks. However, genetics, childhood temperament, lack of coping skills, and histories of trauma can all influence if a person will experience panic attacks.

Common times people may experience panic attacks is when they are going through stressful situations. This includes but is not limited to moving, changing schools, new jobs, job loss, marriage or the birth of a child.

Panic Disorder is a mental illness that is based on repeated panic attacks and fear of future panic attacks. In The DSM-5 panic disorder is defined as an anxiety disorder based primarily on repeated panic attacks, which are recurrent and often unexpected. One panic attack is followed by one month or more of the person fearing that they will have more attacks causing them to change their behaviour. Avoidance of triggers is also considered in the diagnosis.

People with other anxiety disorders, phobias and PTSD are much more likely to experience panic attacks due to their nervous systems already being sensitised and more likely to dysregulate.

Can They Be Treated?

Yes! There are many ways that people can learn to cope with panic attacks. Both self help and professional treatment can be effective in feeling better. Common professional treatments include CBT and Exposure Therapy. Medications can help especially if panic disorder has developed or if there are other mental health conditions concurrent with the panic. Including: anxiety disorders, mood disorder, OCD, psychosis, PTSD etc.

Self Help for anxiety is varied and it can take time to find some that work for you. More on self help for anxiety can be found here: Coping Skills: Panic Attacks