key facts

• A panic attack is a very scary surge of intense physical symptoms of anxiety and lasts from 5-20 minutes
• Somebody who has recurring panic attacks may be suffering from Panic Disorder
• People with Panic Disorder usually change their lifestyle to some degree to avoid further panic attacks and are at risk of developing other problems
• CBT is proven to be an effective treatment for Panic Disorder and can bring about a full recovery quite quickly.

Symptoms and EXPERIECNES

Panic Attacks

A panic attack is an abrupt surge of intense physical symptoms and fear. A panic attack usually involves feeling at least four of the following symptoms and lasts from 5-20 minutes:

• Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate
• Sweating
• Trembling or shaking
• Feelings of shortness of breath or smothering
• Feeling of choking
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Nausea or abdominal distress
• Feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint
• Chills or heat sensations
• Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations)
• Derealisation (feelings of unreality) or depersonalisation (being detached from oneself)
• Fear of losing control or going crazy
• Fear of dying

Some people might just have a one-off panic attack and not experience any more. People who have recurring panic attacks may have  panic disorder.

Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder where you have sudden attacks of panic or fear.

People who have experienced a panic attack often dread the possibility of having another one. They usually then take steps to prevent another one from happening and avoid certain situations.

The number of attacks someone has will depend on how severe their condition is. Some people have attacks once or twice a month, while others have them several times a week.

Treatment

Panic disorder is very treatable and sufferers can make a full recovery. It's best to seek input as soon as  possible.

Without help, panic disorder can escalate and become very difficult to cope with. 

People with panic disorder are more at risk of developing other mental health conditions, such as agoraphobia or an alcohol or drug problem.

Treatment aims to reduce the number of panic attacks the individual has and ease the intensity of symptoms.

Psychological therapy and medication are the two main treatments for panic disorder. CBT is the recommended psychological therapy for panic disorder and there is a great deal of evidence to say that CBT works very well in the treatment of panic.

Therapy will be centred around understanding what triggers panic attacks and what keeps them going and then identifying helpful changes that can be  made to the person's reactions to them. 

If you are concerned that you might be suffering from panic disorder, try this online questionnaire. It can give you an indication of whether this type of anxiety has become a problem for you.