For those suffering from high anxiety, recognizing the signs and symptoms of panic attacks can help you work with a medical professional to diagnose and treat anxiety attacks. Panic attacks can affect people of any age, race and gender, although the majority of sufferers are women.
Breathing Difficulty
Most panic attacks begin with a tightness in the chest and throat. Breathing becomes more rapid and increases in difficulty. Many people describe a dry mouth and difficulty swallowing with a constricted throat. Dizziness comes on fairly quickly as well.
Heartbeat
Irregular or racing heartbeats are another symptom of panic attacks. Often, people head to the emergency room because they fear they are experiencing a heart attack. Tingling in the fingers and toes can also accompany the rapid heartbeat.
Uncontrolled Shaking
During a panic attack, a person may experience trembling and shaking. Those who are standing may feel their legs start to give out. Hot flashes may or may not occur, causing sudden flushing and even excessive sweating.
Waves of Fear
Along with physical signs and symptoms of panic attacks, the brain goes into overdrive and can be flooded with overwhelming worries and fears. Some panic attack sufferers feel they are drowning in negative thoughts and that they are about to die. Waves of anxiety and fear can overwhelm the person for several minutes before beginning to subside.
Nausea
Another common symptom of panic attacks is nausea or abdominal aches. Usually accompanying a lightheaded sensation, nausea will not often result in vomiting. Instead, the sensation is more of a lurching feeling or that of indigestion. However, in severe cases, vomiting may occur.
Time Limit
Most panic attacks begin and end within two or three minutes, although it is very possible that an attack could last longer. Sometimes a severe attack can have lingering effects for another 30 to 50 minutes after the initial panic. Attacks will usually occur several times per month, with each one just as intense as the one before.
 | Overcoming panic attacks might seem impossible in the moment, but there are approaches you can take to cut down on their effects. |
 | Knowing tips to prevent panic attacks can save you stress and aggravation in a crucial situation. |
 | What triggers panic attacks? In order to learn about anxiety stimuli, you must first learn about the human body. |
 | The panic disorder cycle shows not only how the brain and body communicate with each other, but also how easily that communication can go awry. |
It is easy to confuse the symptoms of panic disorder with other physical conditions. Learn how to spot the signs of a panic attack. |
