Given the prevalence of panic attack cases in this day and age, knowledge of the different panic attack symptoms have become very essential for each and every one of us.
For example, you’re falling in line for a ticket to watch Wrestlemania 26, and around 100 people are ahead of you. Chances are high that at least one of them will suffer an episode of a panic attack within the next 12 months. The numbers reveals how common panic attacks are these days.
But here’s an even more alarming statistic: 72% of people who are suffering from a panic attack don’t even know that they’re enduring such a condition. Though, generally, anxiety attacks are harmless, they can still lead to some dire consequences if the episodes are severe and if the subject is suffering from a pre-existing condition that can be aggravated by a bout with extreme anxiety.
Hence, it is very important to know the different panic attack symptoms so that proper and expedient action can be taken.
Now, here’s the deal about panic attack symptoms. The subject doesn’t have to experience all of them during an episode. A combination of any 3 or 4 panic attack symptoms would be enough to establish the existence of the condition.
What are these panic attack symptoms?
- Feeling of impending doom. This is the body’s way of telling us that something is wrong and immediate action must be taken. This is the only common symptom in all cases of panic attacks. This is what many people describe as the “fight or flight” syndrome.
- Palpitations, ranging from moderate to severe.
- Cold/warm sweats that isn’t attributable to climatic conditions.
- Inexplicable trembling or shaking.
- A nervousness that won’t go away.
- Feeling of extreme terror and dread.
- Chest pain and/or difficulty breathing.
- Difficulty swallowing or the feeling that you’re choking.
- Numbness in some parts of the body.
- Dizziness or lightheadedness.
- Gastro-intestinal discomfort.
- Nausea.
- Derealization, or the feeling of being detached from reality.
- Depersonalization, or the feeling of being detached from one’s self.
- The feeling of losing control, or the hopeless feeling that you’re going crazy.
Again, not all of these panic attack symptoms have to manifest themselves. A combination of 3 or 3 of these panic attack symptoms would be enough to come up with a reasonable determination of the existence of an episode.
What should you do when you’re feeling a good number of these panic attack symptoms?
Remain calm.
It’s easier said than done, of course, especially during the period of extreme anxiety. But you have to try your best to keep yourself together. Panic attacks last for an average of 10 minutes. Wait it out by being calm. Think that it will soon pass, and quickly enough, the episode will be over.
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