A panic attack is an intense feeling of fear or dread that appears to come out of nowhere. It can sweep over its victim like wave of terror leaving them feeling like they have just survived a life threatening experience.
Often they feel as if they are “going crazy”, “losing their mind” , they are “having a heart attack” or that “something really bad is about to happen”. Some of the physical symptoms include
Panic Disorder
- Feeling intensely anxious
- Breathing difficulties e.g. shortness of breath
- Feeling lightheaded and/or nauseous
- Tingles or chills
- Trembling or shaking
- Chest pains or a tight feeling in the chest.
Most people have attacks that last no more than a few minutes, however for some people they can last or up to one hour. For many people, panic attacks happen only occasionally when they are stressed. For others, however, an initial attack can lead to fears of another attack at a later stage. This can result in a vicious cycle where the person is constantly worried about the next attack. Left untreated, this can lead to a condition known as agoraphobia (see below), which can occur when people act out their fears of not being able to deal with another attack by not leaving their house or another safe place.
About three out of 10 people will experience at least one panic attack at some point in lives.
If a person has a panic attack at least four times a month, they may be diagnosed as having a panic disorder. Around 3 percent of the population has a panic disorder.
At Counselling & Therapy Associates we offer a range of treatments for Panic Disorder. To book a session with one of our therapists, simply Click Here.