Panic Attack Symptoms
What is a panic attack? A panic attack is a sudden surge of intense fear of discomfort that usually lasts for several minutes.
And what causes panic attacks? Some people experience panic attack symptoms when faced with something they fear, such as spiders or elevators. Others experience them without warning. Sometimes, panic attacks occur upon waking from sleep (known as a nocturnal panic attack).
Panic attacks themselves can be so terrifying that people may start fearing the next attack and avoiding situations they think might trigger one. This means they have developed a condition known as panic disorder.
Common Panic Attack Symptoms
There are more than a dozen symptoms associated with panic attacks. Most people will experience only some of these symptoms. It’s also possible that some symptoms will occur with one panic attack and then others with another panic attack. This can make it difficult for people to recognize that these different experiences are all actually still panic attacks.
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The following are some of the most common panic attack symptoms. Most people will experience many of them at once during a panic attack:
- Palpitations or racing heart
- Sweating
- Trembling or shaking
- Shortness of breath or feeling smothered
- Feelings of choking
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Nausea or abdominal distress
- Feeling dizzy, light-headed, unsteady, or faint
- Chills or heat sensations
- Numbing or tingling of the fingers or toes
- Feeling of unreality, almost like you are dreaming (called derealization)
- Feeling detached from oneself (called depersonalization)
- Fear of losing control or going crazy
- Fear of dying, often imminently
Typically, these symptoms are intense and overwhelming. A person experiencing a panic attack may find it difficult to communicate with others while it is happening. For some people, the fear of dying is so intense that they head straight for a hospital emergency room, even if they know they’re likely suffering from a panic attack.
On the other hand, while panic attacks are not in and of themselves medical emergencies, they do share symptoms with medical emergencies, such as heart attacks or asthma attacks. If you think you might be having a panic attack but aren’t sure about what’s going on, it’s wise to be on the safe side and head to the hospital.
Originally published March 2016 and updated.
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