Panic Attacks – Symptoms And Signs

What are panic attacks? They are a sudden, intense episodes of fear and extreme anxiety. They can happen anytime, anywhere. They usually last for a few minutes, but may go on for much longer, even up to a few hours. In this article we will take a look at the symptoms of panic attacks.

How many people suffer from this disorder? More than six million people in the United States suffer from panic attacks. They affect twice as many women as men. Panic disorder usually appears during early adulthood, but may also develop in childhood or later adulthood.

Causes of panic attacks are not completely known, but could be many – biological, psychological, environmental, or the combination of the above. They may be caused by an imbalance of brain chemicals, stress, genetic predisposition, depression, life events and so on.

Panic is actually a natural reaction to a crisis situation. It’s part of the fight-or-flight survival instinct that most organisms are equipped with. But when this response becomes overly active, when the brain misinterprets seemingly harmless situations as life threatening, then we have a problem.

Symptoms and signs of panic attacks are many and can vary from individual to individual. They may include intense feelings fear, racing heartbeat, shaking, trembling, hot flashes, tingling, dizziness, fast breathing, nausea, choking, and fear of dying.

Symptoms frequently occur very suddenly and without any warning. Because of chest pains and heart palpitations, many people who experience panic attack for the first time, mistake it for a heart attack. However, panic attacks are not dangerous, they can be terrifying, but they are not harmful.

Panic disorders can be terrifying and potentially disabling. It’s important to know, however, that in most cases they can be successfully controlled or even cured. There are a number of treatment options available and it’s important to explore them.