What Are Panic Attacks?

Different experts will have different answers to the question “What are panic attacks?”, but I think most would agree with the definition I’m going to present here.

To begin, panic attacks are one sub-class of the broad catageory of anxiety disorders.

Physical symptoms accompany the feelings of fear and impending doom that characterize panic attacks. These symptoms include: a rapid heart rate, palpitations, shallow breathing, dizziness, nausea, trembling, sweating and tingling of the extremities.

I describe the symptoms more completely on the Symptoms of Panic Attacks page.

A characteristic of panic attacks is that they are out of proportion to the reality of the situation. The reaction I described is understandable if one was almost run over by a bus, but not warranted walking into a room at a party.

Panic attacks typically begin very suddenly, reach a peak within about ten minutes. They last thirty minutes or longer until they gradually subside. As you might expect, the person feels drained and exhausted after.

Some medical conditions can cause symptoms similar to panic attacks so it’s important for a person with these symptoms to be evaluated to make sure they don’t have a heart condition or other problem.

Panic attacks usually begin when a person is in their 20’s or 30’s. They are twice as common in women as men.

The frequency varies from person to person. Some people have one or two attacks and are never bothered again (lucky souls).

This often occurs if a person was going through a stressful period, such as the death of a loved one or loss of a job, that made them more vulnerable.

If the attacks occur frequently, and especially if they are severe enough that a person dreads their return, doctors may diagnosis panic disorder.

(You can find on more about Panic Disorders by clicking that link.)

Another way to define panic attacks is to say that they are episodes of terror that occur without warning and ruin the quality of a person’s life.

I hope this site helps anyone suffering from panic attacks find relief.

Here a program that has worked for thousands of people suffering from panic attacks:

Check Out Panic Away