Panic Attacks
Panic attacks, also known as anxiety attacks, are characterised by acute and distressing anxiety. People who experience panic attacks commonly think they are going to die or lose control. Panic attacks can occur with or without an apparent cause. Recurring panic attacks, known as Panic Disorder (PD), can involve a fear of future attacks and behaviour changes to avoid them. In the UK, panic affects 7 in every 1000 men and 7 in every 1000 women (ONS).
Symptoms
Panic attacks are a severe
episodic manifestation of anxiety. The symptoms of a panic attack
include apprehension, tension and physical symptoms such as a choking
sensation, hyperventilation, sweating, and palpitations. A panic attack
generally reaches a peak of intensity within 10 minutes before
subsiding within 30 minutes. Panic attacks may occur during sleep
(nocturnal panic attacks), or without psychological symptoms (non-fearful panic attacks).
Causes
The
causes of panic attacks include catastrophic thinking, fears of being abandoned or trapped,
misinterpreting bodily sensations, phobias, and stress. The causes of panic disorder include
bereavement, divorce, and illness. Most people with panic disorder
become agoraphobic.
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