Panic Attacks – A Special Brand of Stress

Panic attacks strike without warning, without obvious reasons and bring an overwhelming fear.   It is far more intense that a feeling of being ‘stressed out’ than what most people experience.   Instead of stress people who experience panic attacks find the experience terrifying.

The number of people who suffer from panic attacks is rather large.   The Merck Manual reports that they happen in 33% of adults each year.   Some experience an isolated attack without ever having another.   Or these attacks can be part of other anxiety disorders such as social phobia, panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder.

Although panic attacks also happen in people who are suffering other anxiety disorders there is a difference between anxiety and panic.   The actual difference is in the duration and intensity of the symptoms.   Panic attacks are episodes that last for only a short time while anxiety attacks occur gradually, are less intense and last for longer periods of time.

Physical symptoms anxiety panic attacks are often marked by an increased heart rate and a feeling that the heart may pound right out of the chest.   People report they feel dizzy, get sick to their stomach and it”s hard to catch their breath.   People feel like they may be dying or going crazy.

When the symptoms develop abruptly and reach peak in 10 minutes the individual is experiencing a panic attack.   According to the DSM IV people will suffer from at least four of the following symptoms:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Palpitations, pounding hear or increased heart rate
  • Chest pain
  • Shaking or trembling
  • Feeling of choking
  • Sweating
  • Nausea/Vomiting — Abdominal or stomach pain
  • Unsteady, dizzy or faint
  • Feeling detached from self
  • Fear of losing control or going crazy
  • Fear of dying
  • Numbness or tingling
  • Cold or hot flashes
  • Difficulty swallowing

Most panic attacks end within 20 or 30 minutes but some can last as long as an hour.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health approximately 2.4 million Americans age 18 to 54 have a panic disorder.   This may coexist with other disorders — most often depression or substance abuse.

A panic disorder differs from a panic attack because individuals will suffer from frequent and unexpected attacks.   Once a person has been worrying about another panic attack for a month or more or they”ve made significant changes in their behavior to avoid places where they”ve previously had an attack they can be diagnosed with a panic disorder.

Many people who experience the physical symptoms anxiety panic attacks don”t seek treatment because they don”t think they can be treated.   They also may fear what others think about their condition and as a result, will suffer needlessly.

Treatment is available for physical symptoms anxiety panic attacks which help people to lead more productive and happier lives.   The stress of anticipating or waiting for an attack often keeps people from social situations in which they feel their attacks will recur.   With treatment they are able to move through their lives without fear or distress lessening their risk of depression or development of other anxiety disorders

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Written by HealthStatus Team
Medical Writer & Editor

HealthStatus has been operating since 1998 providing the best interactive health tools on the Internet, millions of visitors have used our blood alcohol, body fat and calories burned calculators. The HealthStatus editorial team has continued that commitment to excellence by providing our visitors with easy to understand high quality health content for many years. Our team of health professionals, and researchers use peer reviewed studies as source elements in our articles. Our high quality content has been featured in a number of leading websites, USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, Live Strong, GQ, and many more.

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