How common are panic attacks?

• 2.4 million adult Americans suffer from anxiety panic attacks.
• Panic attack symptoms are twice as common in women as in men.
• Panic attack symptoms most often begin in late adolescence or early adulthood.
• Panic attacks rarely occur in people over the age of 65.
• The risk for experiencing panic attack symptoms appears to be inherited.
• 10% of the population will have a panic attack at one time in their lives.

Often, people suffering from panic attack symptoms make frequent trips to emergency rooms or hospitals. The average person goes to the doctor 5 times a year. A person suffering from panic attack symptoms goes, on average, 37 times a year. If left untreated, panic attacks can severely affect one’s quality of life.