FibroSupport-Wales
Bringing together those
who are living with Fibromyalgia
Panic Attacks
Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder where you regularly have sudden attacks of panic or fear.
Everyone experiences feelings of anxiety and panic at certain times. It's a natural response to stressful or dangerous situations.
But for someone with panic disorder, feelings of anxiety, stress and panic occur regularly and at any time, often for no apparent reason.
Symptoms
Anxiety
Anxiety is a feeling of unease. It can range from mild to severe, and can include feelings of worry and fear. The most severe form of anxiety is panic.
You may start to avoid certain situations because you fear they'll trigger another attack.
This can create a cycle of living "in fear of fear". It can add to your sense of panic and may cause you to have more attacks.
Panic attacks
A panic attack is when your body experiences a rush of intense mental and physical symptoms. It can come on very quickly and for no apparent reason. A panic attack can be very frightening and distressing.
Symptoms include:
Most panic attacks last for between 5 and 20 minutes. Some panic attacks have been reported to last up to an hour.
Although panic attacks are frightening, they're not dangerous. An attack won't cause you any physical harm, and it's unlikely that you'll be admitted to hospital if you have one.
Treatments for panic disorder
Treatment aims to reduce the number of panic attacks you have and ease your symptoms.
Preventing a further attack
It may also help to:
Causes
As with many mental health conditions, the exact cause of panic disorder isn't fully understood.
But it's thought the condition is probably linked to a combination of things, including: