Picture this: You’re engaged in a calm activity, such as hanging out with your friends, when you suddenly experience unexplainable and unprompted feelings of terror. Your heart begins to race, you feel weak and dizzy and begin feeling a loss of control. Does this sound familiar to you? If so, you may be having a panic attack.
Most people who have panic attacks experience several of the following symptoms:
“Racing” heart
Feeling weak, dizzy or faint
Tingling or numbness in the hands and fingers
Sense of terror or impending doom or death
Feeling sweaty or having chills
Breathing difficulties
Feeling a loss of control
People experiencing a panic attack may believe they are having a heart attack or they are dying or going crazy. They may even want to call an ambulance or go to an emergency room. The intense feelings of panic may not reflect what is actually going on in one’s surroundings. Panic attacks are generally brief, lasting less than 10 minutes, although some of the symptoms may persist for a longer time.
People who have had one panic attack are at greater risk for having subsequent panic attacks than those who have never experienced one. When the attacks occur repeatedly, and there is worry about having more episodes, a person is considered to have a condition known as panic disorder.
The good news is, there are very effective psychological treatments that can help give tools and strategies to manage these episodes.
If you feel you may have had a panic attack or suffer from panic disorder, we encourage you to contact us today for a free consultation.