Are You Having Panic Attacks?

A panic attack is a brief episode of intense fear and it is usually accompanied by physical symptoms that may include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, or abdominal distress. In scientific terms, panic attacks are thought to occur when the brain's normal mechanism for reacting to a threat – the so-called "fight or flight" response – gets "switched on" at the wrong time. Panic attacks usually last for a few minutes but may continue for much longer. Most panic attacks are at their worst between 10 and 30 minutes after they begin. The symptoms usually fade over the course of about an hour.

Usually, a first panic attack seems to come out of the blue. It might happen when you are doing something ordinary like driving a car, shopping, or going to work. Suddenly, you are overwhelmed by frightening and uncomfortable symptoms. Panic attacks usually take a person completely by surprise. One reason they're so devastating is that you can’t really predict when they’ll happen. People who've experienced panic attacks describe experiences that are so overwhelming and terrifying that they really believe they are going to die, lose their minds, or be totally humiliated. These horrible things don't actually occur, but the chance seems very real to the person who is suffering the attack. People who are experiencing their first panic attack often go to the hospital emergency room because they think that they’re going to die.

If you think you may be experiencing anxiety and/or panic symptoms and are interested in addressing ways to cope with them in a more healthy way, Contact us for a confidential and FREE review of your situation. Based on a few of your concerns, we can provide a professional opinion whether further attention to your symptoms could be helpful.