People with panic disorder have feelings of terror that strike suddenly and repeatedly with no warning. They can't predict when an attack will occur, and many develop intense anxiety between episodes, worrying when and where the next one will strike.

If you are having a panic attack, most likely your heart will pound and you may feel sweaty, weak, faint, or dizzy. Your hands may tingle or feel numb, and you might feel flushed or chilled. You may have nausea, chest pain or smothering sensations, a sense of unreality, or fear of impending doom or loss of control. You may genuinely believe you're having a heart attack or losing your mind, or on the verge of death.

Panic attacks can occur at any time, even during sleep. An attack generally peaks within 10 minutes, but some symptoms may last much longer. A panic attack is a discrete period of intense fear or discomfort, in which four (or more) of the following symptoms developed abruptly and reached a peak within 10 minutes:

palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate

sweating trembling or shaking

sensations of shortness of breath or smothering

feeling of choking

chest pain or discomfort

nausea or abdominal distress

feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint

derealization (feelings of unreality) or      depersonalization (being detached from oneself)

fear of losing control or going crazy

fear of dying

paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations)

chills or hot flushes

For those who do have panic disorder it's important to seek treatment. Untreated, the disorder can become very disabling. Many people with panic disorder visit the hospital emergency room repeatedly or see a number of doctors before they obtain a correct diagnosis. Some people with panic disorder may go for years without learning that they have a real, treatable illness.

Panic disorder may lead to a pattern of avoidance of places or situations where panic attacks have occurred. For example, if a panic attack strikes while you're riding in an elevator, you may develop a fear of elevators. If you start avoiding them, that could affect your choice of a job or apartment and greatly restrict other parts of your life.

Some people's lives become so restricted that they avoid normal, everyday activities such as grocery shopping or driving. In some cases they become housebound. Or, they may be able to confront a feared situation only if accompanied by a spouse or other trusted person. Basically, these people avoid any situation in which they would feel helpless if a panic attack were to occur.

Click on the links below to learn more

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Social Phobia (or Social Anxiety Disorder)

Specific Phobias

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Return to Anxiety Disorders