What is a Panic Attack, and Have I Had One?
“Panic attack” is one of those phrases that tends to get used a lot, sometimes correctly and sometimes not so much. So what exactly is a panic attack, and how can you tell if you have had one?
What is a Panic Attack?
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders V, “A panic attack is an abrupt surge of fear or intense discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes, and during which time four or more of the following symptoms occur:
1. Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate.
2. Sweating.
3. Trembling or shaking.
4. Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering.
5. Feelings of choking.
6. Chest pain or discomfort.
7. Nausea or abdominal distress.
8. Feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed, or faint.
9. Chills or heat sensations.
10. Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations).
11. Derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself).
12. Fear of losing control or ‘going crazy.’
13. Fear of dying.”
That is a mouthful! Let’s break this technical definition down. Essentially, a panic attack is your fight or flight response in action. According to the American Psychological Association, panic attacks are sudden and often seem to come out of nowhere. They are very physical experiences and can manifest in the body in a number of different ways, including racing heart, shaking, feeling like you can’t catch your breath, chest pain, or dizziness. On a mental level, you may feel terrified, out of control, like you are going crazy, or disconnected from your body or surroundings. The physical sensations of a panic attack tend to peak within a few minutes and subside shortly after. Though it is possible to experience multiple panic attacks within a short period of time, your body cannot sustain a single panic attack for more than a few minutes at once.
Because panic attacks affect the body in such dramatic ways, people often mistake them for physical ailments, like heart attacks. An important thing to know is that, though panic attacks feel very frightening, they are not physically or medically dangerous. You are not harming yourself or your body by having a panic attack, and it will pass.
The term panic attack is sometimes used interchangeably with the term anxiety attack. In clinical mental health speak, panic attack is the correct term. There are many types of anxiety, but no such thing as an anxiety attack. A mental health professional, however, will know what you are talking about with either term you use.
Have I Had a Panic Attack?
To put it simply, you would probably know. Panic attacks are intense physical experiences that are very hard to ignore. The key thing you want to look for is multiple physical symptoms at the same time. Remember from our wordy definition above that four or more symptoms must be present for something to be considered a panic attack. So, if you were to be just experiencing tightness in your chest with no other symptoms or feeling nauseous but nothing else, we would not consider it a panic attack. However, if you were to feel nauseous, have chest tightness, be shaking, and feel dizzy all at the same time, that would be considered a panic attack.
It is not uncommon to experience occasional or infrequent panic attacks. But if you are having regular or repeated panic attacks, feeling anxious or fearful about having another panic attack, or just finding that panic attacks are affecting your daily life it’s a good time to seek treatment. If you are interested in learning about my evidence-based approach to treating panic attacks and anxiety more generally, contact me today to get started.
Sources:
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).
