Panic Attacks - Frequently Asked Questions

Are panic attacks life threatening?

The physical symptoms of an anxiety or panic attack, such as rapid breathing, chest pains and pins and needles are very similar to those of a heart attack, therefore it is not unusual for people experiencing such an attack to convince themselves that they are about to die. This is not the case, nobody has died of a panic attack - it is simply the body reacting to increased adrenalin caused by panic. Anxiety is not life threatening - it is unpleasant, but not harmful.

What are the symptoms of panic attacks?

With panic disorder, a person has sudden bursts of fear for no reason. Physical symptoms can also happen: research suggests that symptoms can become worse when a person is under stress.

Symptoms include:

• Chest pain or pressure.
• Racing or pounding heart, or skipping heartbeats.
• Difficulty breathing, catching your breath, or a choking feeling.
• Feeling dizzy or lightheaded.
• Sweating a lot.
• Chills or hot flashes.
• Stomach problems, nausea, or feeling like you need to throw up.
• Shaking, trembling, or feeling tingling in parts of your body.
• Feeling out of control.
• Feeling unreal, or detached from your body.
• Fear of death or going crazy.

When a person has a panic attack they can:

• Have the urge to run away, or feel a need to escape.
• Think that something awful might happen like death, heart attack, not being able to breathe, losing control, or becoming embarrassed.
• Worry a lot that the attack will happen again. This may cause a person to avoid places or situations they may have triggered the attack (like an elevator or crowded amusement park).

What is the latest research on panic attacks?

The National Institute of Mental Health supports research into the causes, prevention, and treatment of anxiety disorders and other mental illnesses. Studies are ongoing for how family background (genetics) and life experience puts a person at risk for these disorders. New drugs are being tested in clinical trials, as well as therapy approaches. For information on clinical trials, go to the NIMH web site http://www.nimh.nih.gov/studies/index.cfm and the National Library of Medicine's clinical trials database at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov.

How can panic attacks affect my life?

Panic attacks can happen at any time and without any warning. They can happen anywhere - in grocery stores, malls, crowds, or when traveling. A person can live in constant fear of another attack, staying away from places where past attacks have happened. This fear can take over a person's life, making her or him unable to leave their home (a condition called agorophobia). While panic attacks don't last long, they are scary, making them feel like they could last forever. This disorder can last for a few months or go on for many years, even with treatment.

It's important to know that when a person has this illness, it's not her or his fault. It is not something a person can just "snap out of." No one knows for sure what causes panic attacks. It most often starts when people are young, around 18 to 24 years old. It also can begin when a person is already under a lot of stress, such as after the death of a loved one or having a baby. While anyone can have this panic attacks, they affect women more than men. Panic attacks may also be hereditary.