Panic Attacks


A panic attack is where your body is put into a state of alert preparing you for “fight or flight”.

This is a normal human response to danger in order to protect you from harm. However, this response is often unwanted and unnecessary and can make situations more stressful and upsetting.

Many people do not know what triggers their panic attacks, whilst others will experience a panic attack in specific situations. Often people fear the panic attack itself and find that they are getting anxious about having one.

Panic attacks can often make us feel helpless, fearful and can cause us to lose our confidence; this in turn makes the panic even worse.

Symptoms

Panic attacks often come with two kinds of symptoms:

Physical symptoms:

  • Heart palpitations
  • Hyperventilation
  • Diarrhoea
  • Sweating
  • Blushing
  • Shaking
  • Nervous twitches
  • Muscle tension
  • Feeling sick

Psychological Symptoms:

  • Feeling worried, anxious, tense
  • Intrusive and unwanted thoughts
  • Helplessness
  • Feeling a lack of control
  • Feeling rushed and overwhelmed
  • Fear of dying