Millions of people around the world suffer from panic attacks, also commonly referred to as anxiety attacks.

But what are panic attacks like?

A panic attack is said by many to be one of the most frightening, traumatising and upsetting things a person can experience in their life.  Depending on the severity of the attack, they can take a long time to recover from - even days in the worst cases.

Panic attacks tend to start very abruptly, and are relatively short in duration.  Some last no more than a few minutes - although other attacks can last longer.  A panic attack will usually reach a peak during the first 10 minutes, and then gradually subside over the course of the next few hours.

Panic attacks are responses of the body’s sympathetic nervous system.  In an attack, the system floods the body with various hormones, including epinephrine / adrenaline.  These hormones are intended to help defend the body against harm.

Symptoms of a panic attack:

The symptoms that a panic attack sufferer will experience can be both physical and psychological.  The potential physical effects include:

Shortness of breath and chest pain
Tunnel vision
Hyperventilation
Heart racing and heart palpitations
Shaking
Chills and sweats
Muscle tension
Cravings for sugar
Headaches
Blurred or “flashing” vision
Need to urinate
Burning sensation around head and neck areas

The potential psychological effects can include:

Feeling like you’re going crazy
Feeling hugely pressured about something
Feeling like you’re losing control,
Depersonalization or de-realization (detachment from reality)
Intense fear and anxiety
And urge to escape

People having a panic attack for the first time - i.e. those who don’t know what panic attacks are like - sometimes think they are having a heart attack, due to the severity of the physical symptoms.

Others mistake their panic attack for a nervous breakdown, because of the mental / psychological symptoms.

Another concern is that sufferers who start to regularly experience anxiety attacks end up anticipating the next attack, which in itself causes anxiety.  This can form an “anxiety loop” which can be hard to break.

Panic attacks CAN be stopped:

If you or someone close to you suffers from panic attacks, don’t just wait and hope that they will “go away”…. 
do something about it.

According to the consumer feedback we have seen, the most effective treatment is the breakthrough
product “Panic Away“.

Read our factsheet about Panic Away here – for an explanation of how it works, plus product details, pricing, and consumer comments.