Michael fell down on the ground. He felt the whole world was closing in on to him. His heartbeat was accelerated and he found it hard to breathe. His friends rushed him to the nearest hospital. What the teachers and his friends had thought to be a heart seizure was declared to be a panic attack. It was triggered by his fear of the upcoming term presentation.
Sometimes panic attacks may occur randomly. However, many times a panic attack is our body’s reaction to danger. Every one faces stress and anxiety or panic. To an extent, stress is essential for our survival. It keeps us going. Some people, however, react with anxiety when there is no looming danger. They react to mild pressures, such as giving a test or starting at a new place, with heightened levels of anxiety. The anxiety triggers our body to release the hormone ‘adrenaline’ or ‘epinephrine’- the classic ‘fight or flight’ hormone. Adrenaline preps you up to either fight the danger or take a flight. However, when no response occurs and the adrenaline released is too much, a panic attack takes place.
A panic attack reaches its intensity rapidly. It may or may not require medical help. According to the American Psychological Association, the symptoms of the panic attack may hover around 30 minutes although the attack itself may be only 15 seconds long. The usual duration of a panic attack is around 10 minutes although it may vary.
It is estimated that about 5 % of the population will have panic attacks during their lifetimes. Females get panic attacks more than males do.
People undergoing a panic attack may have a chest pain or believe that they are having a heart attack. That is because the symptoms of a panic attack closely resemble those of a heart attack. Symptoms for a panic attack include palpitations, dizziness or nausea, difficulty in breathing, trembling, nervousness and terror. Most people state, having the feeling of ‘going crazy’ during a panic attack.
After experiencing a panic attack, a person may develop a fear of encountering a similar attack while going out for a walk or when attending a party. A person having repeated attacks or harboring intense anxiety about having another attack has a panic disorder. The fear of panic attacks may hamper daily activities for that person. In some cases, a person may avoid performing activities which preceded the first panic attack. Fortunately, a panic disorder can be cured.
Other than the panic disorder, panic attacks are caused by drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and depression and health problems.