Symptoms of a Panic Attack

A panic attack can occur suddenly and can be very frightening. Your exaggerated bodily symptoms take over and you feel like you are going to die or go crazy.

Panic attacks strike approximately 6 million adults a year, without warning and sometimes without reason. One in three with panic disorder develop agoraphobia in which the person becomes afraid of being in a place where they cannot escape in the event of a panic attack. This results in the sufferer not leaving their homes. As you can see, if a person is not treated successfully for panic disorder, their quality of life greatly diminishes and can have a profound impact on those around them.

There are several possible signs and symptoms, including a sense of dread or doom is most common, feeling like you are going to have a heart attack, a seizure or die. Some symptoms are physical, while others come in mental form.

Commonly reported Panic Attack Symptoms are:

Physical Symptoms of Panic Attacks

The physical symptoms of a panic attack can sometimes scare you into thinking something is wrong with your body. Chest pains are common and can at times trick you into thinking you’re going to have a heart attack.

People all have their own set of symptoms but one common thread is you feel a sense that something terrible is happening and you might die. It is difficult to control when a panic attack will strike but most sufferers have situational triggers, such as driving, public places or elevators. Ultimately, they can occur anytime, anywhere, and can even wake you from your sleep.

Panic sufferers have what is called “anticipating fear” they fear that if they go to that same place where the attack occurred, it will happen again. At times, people who develop these irrational fears can develop Phobias. Some fearful panic attack symptoms are so severe that they cannot leave the house such as agoraphobia.

What Triggers a Panic Attack?

There are some common panic attack triggers, these include: excessive caffeine, stimulant use such as alcohol or marijuana, asthma medications, too much stress, loss of friend or family member, and seldom after surgery or childbirth.

Can Panic Attacks Hurt You?

A person having a panic attack has an intense fear that something horrible is happening and they could die. Although panic attacks have physiological symptoms, they are harmless.

I used to think that my panic attacks were going to damage my heart, but long term studies have shown that a panic attack actually gives your heart a work out, much like an athlete! There are however physical illnesses that can lead to panic attacks including: if your blood sugar is too low, if you have an overactive thyroid gland, or a disease called Cushing’s Syndrome when the adrenal glands produce too much of a hormone.

When Panic Attacks Become a Problem

Panic Disorder becomes a problem if it interferes with your day-to-day activities. This is when your panic can be a diagnosable mental illness called Panic Disorder, other relatable disorders are: Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Phobias. These illnesses can lead to symptoms of Panic Disorder, or these illnesses can contribute to having a Panic Disorder.

If you have a panic attack you may not know what is happening and you go to an emergency room where they can rule out a medical cause. Panic attacks are distinguished from other anxiety problems by its particular symptoms, particularly the intense fear that something bad is going to happen.

If you are having panic attacks four or more times a month, or have less than four attacks during the month but have the extreme fear of having another one, you probably have a Panic Disorder and you should go see your family doctor or try alternative treatment.

The above information is based on my real experience and online research. Please see your family doctor before trying new techniques or medications.

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