What Is It Like To Experience Panic Attacks?

If you’ve never experienced panic attacks before, it could be a frightening experience to you for the first time you have one. Panic attacks are experienced by millions of people, and while some have it regularly, others just now and then. One can have a panic attack thousand times, yet every time one gets a feeling of helplessness, fear and anxiety. You might have heard of panic attacks by the name of anxiety attacks. It is quite common to suffer from panic attacks and not not be aware of it. People experience panic attacks in different way, thus the difficulty of diagnosing them. If you are aware of the symptoms of a panic attack, you are better equipped in dealing with it.

At times people get panic attacks without a warning and these can last from a few minutes to a full hour or even more. Having a sudden overwhelming sense of fear is just one of the main symptoms of a panic attack. Our system is protecting itselfy by pumping adrenaline in our body, in response to a real or not real fear or danger we experience. When the body gets too much adrenaline, we feel panic build up. Some of the symptoms we might come across are fast heart beat, fear of danger, sense of dread, abdominal pain, shaking, fast and irregular breathing, nausea, diarrhea or frequent urination. Distancing themselves from people and surroundings can also occur.

The panic attack symptoms are very much alike with those of other more serious conditions, so no wonder people having a panic attack might think they have something else. You can bring yourself effective temporary relief just by knowing the symptoms of a panic attack, since then you are prepared to face it.

Avoiding talking about panic attacks often results in not being able to seek appropriate help. Embarrassment is a major reason for people who think it’s all in their head. It is said that fear of a panic attack will cause one no matter what because the body can’t help being fearful of experiencing one without warning. Even though panic attacks come without warning, at times a person learns the symptoms that warns them of an impending attack.

Several common symptoms of panic attack are enumerated below:

  • Pains in the chest.
  • Varying heart beating.
  • Lightheadedness or dizziness.
  • Breathing issues.
  • Numbness and prickling in the hands.
  • Hot or cold flushes.
  • Terror.
  • Being very nervous or shy.

A feeling of death approaching or losing control are two additional symptoms that one person might have during a panic attack. Unfortunately, not everybody who suffers from panic attacks seeks help. If one has a panic attack, he can get help in the form of therapy, counseling or medication. Panic attacks come and go without a reason, but at times it’s good to know that they might just be a sign of something more serious, like a health issue, stress or even a past injury. The above mentioned symptoms should be enough to an anxiety sufferer seek immediate help to alleviate their painful and stressful condition.

If you would like to discover the signs and symptoms of a panic attack, how to control panic attacks, or how to use the zung self rating scale for anxiety, please go here.