Panic attacks are episodes of intense fear and terror that can occur at any time without warning. They can last from a few minutes or much longer, even to several hours. In this article we will explore signs and symptoms of panic attacks.
Panic attacks are very common. They affect approximately 2.7 percent of the adult Americans (6 million people). They are twice as common in women as in men. They can appear at any age, but typically develop in early 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.
As part of the fight or flight response, panic is a normal and natural reaction to impending danger. But when a person experiences panic in situations where most people would not be afraid, when no danger is present, we can talk about panic disorder.
Panic attack is accompanied by many physical and emotional sensations. Symptoms vary in occurrence, intensity and duration. The most common ones are raging heartbeat, chest pains, difficulty breathing, shaking, tingling, numbness, sweating, lightheadedness, nausea, paranoia, fear of losing control, fear of going crazy, fear of dying, etc.
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.
In most cases, panic disorders can be successfully managed, if not cured. They should not go untreated or ignored. There are various treatment options and coping techniques available and it's important to explore which one works best for you.
Panic attacks are very common. They affect approximately 2.7 percent of the adult Americans (6 million people). They are twice as common in women as in men. They can appear at any age, but typically develop in early 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.
As part of the fight or flight response, panic is a normal and natural reaction to impending danger. But when a person experiences panic in situations where most people would not be afraid, when no danger is present, we can talk about panic disorder.
Panic attack is accompanied by many physical and emotional sensations. Symptoms vary in occurrence, intensity and duration. The most common ones are raging heartbeat, chest pains, difficulty breathing, shaking, tingling, numbness, sweating, lightheadedness, nausea, paranoia, fear of losing control, fear of going crazy, fear of dying, etc.
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.
In most cases, panic disorders can be successfully managed, if not cured. They should not go untreated or ignored. There are various treatment options and coping techniques available and it's important to explore which one works best for you.
About the Author:
Peter Sligh was suffering from panic disorder, but he learned how to manage his condition. For information on how to eliminate panic attacks, see managing extreme anxiety.
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