What are the symptoms of a panic attack?
Do you struggle with panic attacks?
You’re not alone.
Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent of any mental illness in the US. Nearly 20% of the US population aged 18 and older suffers from an anxiety disorder every year (Anxiety and Depression Association of America). Almost 5% of Americans will experience a panic disorder at some time in their lives (National Institute for Mental Health). Women are twice as likely to experience panic disorder than men.
The good news is that panic attacks are highly treatable, as are all anxiety disorders. But sadly many suffer without seeking help.
My own experience with panic attacks
As a therapist, I work with a lot of folks experiencing these symptoms, and I have experienced them myself, too. In my mid-20’s I had my first panic attack “out of the blue,” and I had no idea what was happening to me. The heart palpitations, the light-headedness, the feelings of doom… I hated getting ambushed by panic attacks.
When they first hit, I felt like I might die, or at the very least something was seriously wrong with me. At that time I hadn’t even heard of a panic attack. As they started happening more and more, I feared being in crowded public places or traveling, in case one hit me and I felt trapped. If I did have to be at a public event, I always had an eye on the exits, sat on the end of a row so I could get out quickly if I needed to, and I was never without water and snacks in case I felt the dreaded light-headedness coming on.
I went to my primary care doctor and she diagnosed with me panic disorder, and I thought, “Whoa, that sounds serious—I have a disorder now?” She didn’t offer any help except for a medication that I could take when one came on, but the meds made me feel floaty and disconnected from reality. I didn’t really like it, and I didn’t want to get addicted to a medication. This ended up being a good instinct as the kind of medication she prescribed me (Klonipin, which is in a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines) are now known to be addictive and often makes things worse if taken too frequently for panic attacks. (These drugs are less often prescribed now, and prescribers are more aware of the danger of dependency and do a better job educating patients about this.)
It wasn’t until years later in therapy and my own research that I learned the skills that helped me get the panic attacks under control. The biggest breakthrough came through learning that panic attacks, while very uncomfortable, are not actually dangerous. Once I learned that and a few skills, things dramatically changed for the better. But more on this in the next post.
My goal in this blog is to help you learn to recognize the symptoms of a panic attack so you can feel less afraid of the symptoms and more empowered to get the help you need to feel better fast.
Symptoms of a panic attack
A panic attack is characterized by a onset of sudden and intense anxiety. It is accompanied by physical symptoms such as:
Racing, pounding heart or the feeling your heart is skipping a beat
Brethtlessness
Shaking
Sweating
Tunnel vision
lightheadedness or dizziness
nausea or stomach distress
dry mouth
feelings of derealization or depersonalization
People not familiar with panic attacks may think they are having a heart attack. It is also common to feel like you may faint or even die.
It’s easy to see how these scary symptoms can lead people to develop a fear of having the next one, and to try and shrink their world down in protection to prevent that.
Panic disorder versus panic attacks
Panic disorder is when you’ve had at least two panic attacks and you constantly worry and change your routine to keep from having another one. It’s a type of anxiety disorder (WebMD).
What makes panic disorder debilitating is not necessarily the panic attacks themselves, but the fear of panic attacks. This fear of fear causes people to shink their lives smaller and smaller to feel safe. For example, people may become afraid of being in crowded places, driving, traveling too far from home, exercising, or even leaving the house. This can be incredibly debilitating and cause a strain on people’s ability to go to work or school, have relationships, and function in their daily lives.
Get help for panic attacks
In my next post, I will discuss ways to treat panic attacks, including some exercises you can use on your own.
But in the meantime, if you relate to any of these symptoms, counseling can help. You don’t have to suffer alone. Reach out today for a free 15-min phone consultation to see if we’d be a good fit, and let’s walk together through the panic and out the other side to a more peaceful, empowered life.