Symptoms

What is a panic attack?

Panic attacks are discrete events, characterized by a very rapid increase in anxiety and fear that may come on suddenly and unpredictably, at least initially.

To qualify as 'full-blown' a panic attack it must include at least four (4) symptoms of anxiety, such as:

• shortness of breath or smothering sensations
• dizziness
• unsteady feelings or feeling faint
• choking
• palpitations or accelerated heart rate
• trembling or shaking
• sweating
• nausea or abdominal distress
• feelings that you or the world around you are unreal
• numbness or tingling sensations
• sudden 'hot flashes' or chills
• chest pain or discomfort
• fear of dying
• fear of going crazy or doing something uncontrolled

Less severe panic attacks - known as 'limited-symptom' panic attacks - include from 1-3 of these symptoms.

Some panic symptoms are physical sensations while others have to do with catastrophic thoughts. Although it's possible to have a panic attack consisting only of physical sensations, that rarely happens.