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Signs of a Panic Attack
Panic attacks can come on suddenly and leave you with a disabling anxiety or fear. Find out what you can do to prevent or manage these attacks.
May 11, 2018
Jan 04, 2024
Self-Care & Mental HealthStacey Feintuch is a Blogger, Freelance Writer, Public Speaker and Young-ish Widow
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You're about to give a presentation at a big work conference. You start sweating, shaking and trembling. Or maybe your heart starts pounding as you're about to give a speech at your husband's 50th birthday party. You may be having a panic attack.
A panic attack is when you abruptly have an intense discomfort or fear, and it peaks within a few minutes. The attacks can happen when you're anxious or calm. They can come on suddenly and strike at any time. You may have them occasionally or often.
You may have an intense fear that you'll have another panic attack. You may fear them so much that you avoid certain situations where they may occur. At first, they may come on suddenly and without warning. Over time, they're usually triggered by certain situations.
Symptoms
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, a panic attack includes at least four of the following symptoms:
Causes and risk factors
Panic attack symptoms often start in the late teens or early adulthood. They affect more women than men. The attacks may be attributed to:
Treatment
If you have panic attack symptoms, get medical help from your primary care doctor. Since panic attack symptoms can resemble other health problems, like a heart attack, you want to speak to your doctor. Panic attacks can be uncomfortable and scary, but not dangerous. Still, the attacks can be hard to manage yourself and may get worse without treatment. Treatment can help improve your daily function and reduce the frequency and intensity of panic attacks.
Your health care provider may prescribe antidepressants or antianxiety medications to help you manage and decrease your symptoms. You may also benefit from other therapies that can help you change your ways of thinking and behaving. These include talk therapy, as well as cognitive-behavioral therapy, systematic desensitization or breathing retraining.
Prevention
It can be difficult to prevent panic attacks. But you can manage symptoms.