What is a panic attack?

Panic attack is a type of anxiety disorder. Panic attacks are sudden, discrete periods of intense anxiety, fear, stomach problems and discomfort that are associated with a variety of somatic and cognitive symptoms.

A panic attack is a short-lived, unpredictable, intense anxiety, the attacks are typically abrupt, and may have no obvious triggers.

The attacks are recurrent, it is their unpredictable nature, that makes them so hard to cope with.

You may not know the trigger, and so are “unprepared” when they suddenly occur in the middle of a
social event or at any given moment in time.

It is frightening to all of a sudden, feel intense apprehension, fearfulness or terror, or a feeling of impending doom.

Experiencing a panic attack is said to be one of the most frightening, upsetting and uncomfortable experiences of a person’s life.

According to the American Psychological Association the symptoms of a panic attack commonly last approximately thirty minutes. However, panic attacks can be as short as 15 seconds, while sometimes panic attacks may form a cyclic series of episodes, lasting for an extended period, sometimes hours.

Often people expericing the attacks will experience significant anticipatory anxiety and limited symptom attacks in between attacks, in situations where attacks have previously occurred.

Panic attacks are commonly linked to agoraphobia and the fear of not being able to escape a bad situation. Many who experience panic attacks feel trapped and unable to free themselves.

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Filed under: Panic Attacks

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