Some of the most serious signs and symptoms of panic attacks can be quite frightening and at times can even lead the person experiencing the attack to believe they might be dying. It is not at all uncommon for an individual suffering from a panic attack to believe they are going crazy, losing control or about to have a heart attack due to the severity of these symptoms. One of the first steps to overcoming panic attacks; however, is learning to recognize these signs and symptoms.
In the quest to overcome these attacks, it is also important to understand the dynamics of panic attacks. For example, the presence of a panic attack itself could be an indication of the medical condition Panic Anxiety Disorder. While not all symptoms indicate the presence of an attack, there are numerous signs and symptoms that are commonly associated with panic attacks. It is important to be aware that in some cases medical ailments could produce the same signs and symptoms of a panic attack. A life threatening situation could also produce similar symptoms; although, this type of situation could also certainly precede a panic attack as well.
Panic attacks typically last about ten or less. For the person experiencing the attack this can feel like an eternity. Generally, the attack will reach its maximum intensity level within about a minute or so of the attack beginning. Over a period of about half an hour the symptoms of the attack will begin to gradually diminish. It is important to keep in mind that in some cases it could take several hours for the symptoms to completely diminish.
In some cases, panic attacks can occur as a single incidence with no recurrence. In other cases, attacks may happen more frequently; even up to several times per month. Typically, the severity of the signs and symptoms of the panic attack will vary.
Symptoms associated with panic attacks include:
Feeling extremely stressed
Experiencing a sense of paralyzing fear
Hot flashes
Sudden chills
Choking sensation
Chest pains
Tingling in the fingers or toes
A fear that you are dying or going crazy
Difficulty breathing
Feeling as though you can't get enough air
Racing heartbeat
Feeling dizzy, lightheaded
Experiencing a feeling of dread,
Nausea
Trembling, shaking or sweating
Feeling nervous
The mere presence of one or even two or three of these symptoms does not necessarily indicate a panic attack has occurred or even that an individual suffers from Panic Disorder. As previously discussed, there could be another reasonable explanation for the presence of the symptoms, such as an entirely different medical condition.
Not all individuals suffer from the same symptoms each time they experience a panic attack. During one attack one set of symptoms may be present while another, different, set of symptoms may appear during a subsequent attack. In addition, it is likely that the severity of the signs and symptoms of panic attacks may range from one attack to the next as well.
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