What is a panic attack?
A panic attack is a severe attack of anxiety and fear which occurs suddenly, often without warning, and for no apparent reason. Various other symptoms then occur during a panic attack. These include one or more of the following:
- Palpitations or a thumping heart.
- Sweating and trembling.
- Hot flushes or chills.
- Feeling short of breath, sometimes with choking sensations.
- Chest pains.
- Feeling sick.
- Feeling dizzy, or faint.
- Fear of dying or going crazy.
- Numbness, or pins and needles.
- Feelings of unreality, or being detached from yourself.
The physical symptoms that occur with panic attacks do not mean there is a physical problem with the heart, chest, etc. The symptoms mainly occur because of an 'overdrive' of nervous impulses from the brain to various parts of the body during a panic attack.
During a panic attack you tend to over-breathe (hyperventilate). If you over-breathe you 'blow out' too much carbon dioxide which changes the acidity in the blood. This can then cause more symptoms such as confusion and cramps, and make palpitations, dizziness, and pins and needles worse. This can make the attack seem even more frightening, and make you over-breathe even more, and so on.
A panic attack usually lasts 5-10 minutes, but sometimes they come in 'waves' for up to two hours.
Who gets panic attacks?
At least 1 in 10 people have occasional panic attacks. The tend to occur most in young adults. Twice as many women than men have panic attacks. Anyone can have a panic attack, but they also tend to run in some families.
Average rating:
carol, over 2 years
i found this good i suffer from panik attacks every day abd i feel like im just going to stop breathing but i reasure my self by telling my self that im in no danger
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