Get The Facts About Panic Attacks

The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that around 4 million Americans routinely experience panic attacks, and if you are one of them, you can testify as to how alarming and stressful one can be. A panic attack is a strong, often sudden feeling of extreme anxiety, unease or helplessness, often lasting for several minutes and sometimes accompanied by a shortness of breath, a racing heartbeat and a feeling of lightheadedness.

Although panic attacks can be triggered by a specific event or situation, they can often occur for no obvious reason, making them even harder to deal with and leading to fear that another panic attack will happen. There are other symptoms of panic attacks, and these can include a heavy feeling in the chest (or chest pains), trembling muscles, tingling in the hands or feet, a flushed face and sweaty palms, as well as the uncontrollable and terrifying feeling of panic. Many people describe the feeling as a total loss of control, sheer and utter panic or even the certainty that they are going to go crazy or die.

Because the fear of having another attack is part of the aftermath of a panic attack, many people understandably avoid potential situations in which they might feel anxious or lose control. Some people who have experienced panic attacks even reach the point where they rarely leave their home or other so-called safe zone, a condition called agoraphobia. Most agoraphobics do not enjoy their condition; the fear of having another attack, especially in public, forces them to adopt that extreme behavior.

It is possible to effectively treat anxiety disorders such as panic attacks, although many people are too ashamed to seek help or the condition remains undiagnosed and therefore untreated. In recent years, the shift has been away from old-fashioned techniques using analysis to treat panic disorders, and towards CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy). The therapy focuses on how to identify and eliminate the feelings and thoughts that cause the anxiety and the panic. An educational campaign is being carried out by the National Institute of Mental Health to convince people that panic attacks can be treated successfully.