Panic Attack: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

A panic attack is a sudden and abrupt surge of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause. Panic attacks can be very frightening as it is a sudden overwhelming terror that has no obvious cause. A panic attack is often misinterpreted as a heart attack. Although panic attacks themselves aren’t life-threatening, they can be frightening and significantly affect the quality of your life.

Most people experience a panic attack once or twice in their lives, perhaps in a stressful situation. After that, the problem goes away on its own. But some people have recurrent, unexpected panic attacks. They spend long periods in constant fear of another attack, this condition is called a panic disorder.

Panic disorder is a persistent fear of having another panic attack that sets in after you have experienced at least one or more months of persistent concern about the reoccurrence of additional panic attacks. According to a report by the American Psychological Association, 1 out of every 75 people might experience a panic disorder.

Even though the symptoms and consequences of this disorder can be quite overwhelming and frightening, panic attacks can be managed or cured with proper treatment. Recognizing the problem and seeking treatment from a qualified professional is the most important step in reducing symptoms and eventually curing panic attacks.

Symptoms of Panic Attack:

The symptoms of a panic attack usually happen suddenly at any given point and peak within the first ten minutes, and then subside. Even though the symptoms vary largely from individual to individual, one can feel fatigued or worn out after the attack subsides.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), a panic attack is defined as a “surge of intense fear or intense discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes” and includes four or more of the following symptoms:

Nausea or abdominal distress. Feeling nauseated or having abdominal cramps is the most common symptom of a panic attack. This can cause great discomfort and distress to the individual.
Numbness or tingling sensations (paresthesia). A feeling of numbness and tingling can also occur during a panic attack. Certain areas of the body may have pins-and-needles-like sensations or feel completely frozen and numb.

These symptoms can occur anywhere on the body but are most often felt in the hands, arms, legs, fingers, toes, and face:

Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate. One of the major symptoms of a panic attack is an abnormally increased heart rate, also known as heart palpitations. Heart palpitations can feel like your heart is racing, pounding, or fluttering. You may also feel as though your heart is skipping a beat. This is also the reason why most people confuse panic attacks with heart attacks.
Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering. When a panic attack occurs, our breathing may become more shallow and restricted. Instead of filling the lungs with full, complete breaths, we take in quick and short breaths. This is also known as hyperventilation.
Chest pain or discomfort is a common symptom during a panic attack. One experiences tightness or knot-like sensation in the chest. Reduction of carbon dioxide in the body due to shortness of breath causes chest pain and dry mouth
Chills or hot sensations, a wave of chills running down your spine or feeling hot and uncomfortable suddenly without any underlying issue is also a symptom of a panic attack. Uncontrollable sweating and uneasiness is also a part of a panic attack.
Feeling of choking or feeling like you have food stuck in your throat. It can uncomfortable and terrifying in some cases.
Feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint. One might start feeling weak or dizzy during a panic attack due to shortness of breath. Not enough oxygen reaching the brain can cause one to have an overwhelming feeling of exhaustion, lightheadedness, and unsteadiness.
Fear of dying. The most common symptom of a panic attack is the impending sense of doom that it casts over a person.

Sometimes the attack can be so intense that one can fear a loss of control to an extent that can result in death.

Fear of losing control or going crazy. The person experiencing this symptom often feels that he/she might be going crazy or losing control of their brain as they are unable to explain what’s happen with them.
Feelings of unreality (de-realization) or being detached from oneself (depersonalization). An intense panic attack can ensue a feeling of uncertainty of reality or a dreamlike state. They could also have an out-of-body experience or in other words the feeling of being detached from themselves.
Trembling or shaking. Similar to other panic attack symptoms, uncontrollable trembling and shaking is a result of the fight-or-flight reaction, which prepares the body to either fight off or flee from a real or imagined threat in the environment.

Typically, the symptoms are not proportionate to the level of danger that exists in the environment. Because these attacks can’t be predicted, they can significantly affect your functioning in society. Most people fear the occurrence of a panic attack so much that that fear can induce another one.

Causes of a Panic Attack:

What exactly causes a panic attack is not clearly understood but these factors may play a role:

Genetics
Major stress
Temperament that is more sensitive to stress or prone to negative emotions
Certain changes in the way parts of your brain function Panic attacks may come on suddenly and without warning at first, but over a period of time, they are usually triggered by certain situations. These situations are the ones you are uncomfortable or afraid of, for example, major transitions in one’s life like getting married or moving to a different city.

Genetics play a certain role too as one is more likely to suffer through anxiety if someone related to them suffers from anxiety too. Panic attack causes differ from individual to individual as everyone’s state of mind is different.

Types:

There are different three types of panic attacks.

Spontaneous Panic attacks occur without warning or out of the blue. These do not of environmental or situational triggers.
Situationally bound panic attacks are those that hold their trigger points or to certain situations that are feared by the individual.
Situationally predisposed panic attacks don’t always occur immediately upon exposure to a feared situation or cue, but the person is more likely to experience an attack in such
situations.

Treatment for Panic Attack:

Panic attacks, while intensely uncomfortable, are not dangerous or life-threatening. But panic attacks are extremely hard to manage on your own, and they may get worse without treatment. One must seek the help of a medical professional if they have had recurring panic attacks for over a month. As Panic attack symptoms can also resemble symptoms of other serious health problems, such as a heart attack, it’s necessary to get evaluated by a physician first and then a psychologist.

Treatment for panic attacks or disorders mainly focuses on reducing or eliminating your symptoms. This is achieved through psychotherapy with a qualified professional and in some cases, medication. Therapy typically involves cognitive- behavioral therapy (CBT). This therapy teaches you to change your thoughts, actions, and habits so that you can understand your attacks better and manage your fear.

Medications used to treat panic disorder can include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a class of antidepressants. SSRIs prescribed for panic disorder may include: