Panic Attacks 101

To understand panic attacks you have to comprehend fear. Fear is your body's alarm response when you sense danger. For example, you would become afraid if a vicious animal approached you. You would probably experience symptoms like rapid heartbeat, sweating and fast breathing. These are all an alarm response to a perceived threat that lead to a fight or flight response. Fight or flight is a natural survival mechanism meant to keep you safe and out of harms way.

You might be having this alarm response when in reality there is no actual threat. It's like when a hot meal in the oven precedes to set off the smoke alarm even though there is no fire. These false alarms can catch you off guard when you least expect it. Although highly stressful and problematic, a panic attack is basically an abrupt false alarm that creates unnecessary emotions.

Many people experience slight sensations if they begin to feel anxious about something. Their stomach might begin to churn or they might begin to sweat. On the other hand, a panic attack is much more intense that can come of out of the blue. A panic attack is described as experiencing an abrupt and terrifying sensation of fear. These attacks typically last roughly 10 minutes but could be as short at 1-5 minutes. People often believe they are having a heart attack and say to themselves, "I'm going to die!" Listed below are the most common symptoms of panic.

Accelerated heart rateSweatingDizzinessSense of impending deathShortness of breathFear of going insaneTingling sensationsFeeling of chokingChest discomfort

It is of no surprise that you might feel in danger as you experience the above symptoms. It probably feels as if your body is telling you there is a real threat lurking around or that you're having a heart attack. Many people tend to seek emergency medical care when they are experiencing a panic attack. Also, you might feel a strong desire to abruptly leave the situation.

It is important to know that panic attacks alone do not qualify for a mental health diagnosis. You must have repeated panic attacks and have a significant change in behavior (e.g. constant worry of another attack) lasting at least one month. It you meet this criterion you could be diagnosed with Panic Disorder.

A medical reality is that panic will last no more than 2 or 3 minutes if you stop all unhealthy thinking. Adrenaline is released and takes 2 or 3 minutes to complete it's cycle. It's very important to know that panic can only continue if your catastrophic and anxious thoughts remain.

Kelly Tappenbeck is an experienced mental health therapist who successfully educates those who suffer from anxiety and panic attacks via his blog at http://www.blog.freeofpanic.com/.

Original article