Panic attacks occur when a person experiences sudden, intense feelings of terror and anxiety. These attack occur when the person is not in any significant danger, or experiencing any appropriately stressing situations. Continued, unexpected, and severe panic attacks are an indicator of a panic disorder. Panic disorders often lead to phobias and anxiety-related behavior, as individuals tend to link specific people, places, or situations with the physical symptoms of the panic attacks. In addition to physical and psychological health problems, panic attacks and panic disorders can often lead to difficulties in interpersonal relationships, work, and other social interactions.

Panic attacks are triggered by anxiety, stress, depression, and fear. However, once a panic attack begins, the symptoms of the attack itself tend to induce additional fear, leading to a dangerous cycle of anxiety. For example, a person with a panic disorder may experience a sudden feeling of anxiety and fear, leading to a panic attack. Because many people are overwhelmed by the intensity of a panic attack, their perception of the event is significantly clouded. As a result, the physical symptoms of a panic attack are often interpreted by victim as a sign that they are experiencing a heart attack, or another fatal episode. The thought of a rapidly impending death creates even more fear in the individual, which, in turn, feeds the panic attack. This is why it is critical that people with panic disorders learn the coping skills necessary to overcome this process while in the midst of an attack.

Onset of Panic Attacks

Panic attacks usually first occur in an individual during a time of intense, prolonged pressure. This can be the result of a work situation, difficulties in interpersonal relationships, or economic hardships. Panic attacks can also first occur shortly after an individual experiences a serious accident, undergoes surgery, childbirth, or during a prolonged illness. It is also believed that some chemicals can induce panic attacks. These can range from illicit drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines, to prescription medications, such as asthma treatments, to food products like coffee, tea, and soft drinks.

There is a misconception among people who have never experienced a panic attack that an attack is merely a short period of sudden nervousness or apprehension. This view underestimates the danger of panic attacks by reducing them to vague symptoms of emotions that nearly everyone is familiar with. However, people with panic disorders describe panic attacks as having such an intensity that they often actually become convinced that they are about to die, or are in danger of completely losing their minds. These profoundly debilitating effects of panic attacks allude to their seriousness.