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Panic attacks can be an alarming symptom of anxiety. Panic
attacks happen very suddenly and often reach their worst within about
10 minutes. The person may seem fine between attacks, but is usually
afraid that they will happen again.
Symptoms of a panic attack
- feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint*
- chest pain or discomfort*
- feeling as if they're choking*
- fear of losing control or "going crazy"
- numbness or tingling sensations
- feeling "unreal" or "detached" from themselves
- chills (shaking or shivering) or hot flashes (may involve
sweating or facial reddening)
*If a person is having any
of the first 5 symptoms (marked with asterisks), it can mean an urgent
or life-threatening condition. Call 911 or the doctor right away if the
patient unexpectedly has any of these. These symptoms can be signs of
other, more serious problems such as allergic reaction, heart attack,
blood chemistry imbalance, collapsed lung, or others. It is not safe to
assume that they are panic-related until diagnosed by a doctor.
If the person has had panic attacks in the past, and it
happens again exactly like it did before, they can often recognize it
as a panic attack.
If the person recovers completely within a few minutes and has
no more symptoms, it is more likely to be a panic attack. If panic
attacks are diagnosed, brief therapy and medicines have been shown to
be helpful.
What to do
- Check with the doctor to be sure that the symptoms are
caused by panic and not another medical problem.
- Stay calm and speak softly during a panic attack.
- Sit with the person during panic attacks until he or she is
feeling better.
- After the panic attack is over, encourage the person to get
treatment for the panic attacks.
- Provide transportation to treatment if needed. The person
may be afraid that a panic attack will happen while driving.
- The ideas listed above (under "What to do" for anxiety)
may also be helpful.
Do not
- Minimize the person’s terror or fear.
- Judge the person for feeling scared and acting strangely.
- Try to talk the person out of their fear or other feelings.
- Hesitate to call the doctor if you have questions about
what is happening.
Last Medical Review: 08/17/2009
Last Revised: 08/17/2009
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