What does a panic attack feel like?
A sudden rush of fear in your body. A racing heart, fast breathing, dizziness. Most pass in 5 to 20 minutes. But fear of the next one may bring more on.
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Anxiety attack symptoms: what a panic attack feels like
A panic attack is a rush of strong fear that you feel in your mind and body at once. It can come on very quickly, for no clear reason.
Most attacks last 5 to 20 minutes. Some have been reported to last up to an hour.
| Where you feel it | Signs |
|---|---|
| Heart and chest | A racing heartbeat, chest pain |
| Breathing | Shortness of breath, breathing very quickly, a choking feeling |
| Skin | Sweating, hot flushes, chills |
| Stomach and mouth | Feeling sick, a churning stomach, a dry mouth |
| Head and limbs | Dizziness, feeling faint, trembling, numbness, tingling in your fingers or lips |
| Mind | Dread or fear of dying, feeling you’re losing control, feeling cut off from your body |
Frightening, yes. Dangerous, no. The NHS says an attack won’t cause you any physical harm.
Panic attack or anxiety attack? People use both names. The NHS says sudden, intense anxiety and fear might be a panic attack.
Anxiety ranges from mild to severe, and panic is its most severe form.
Stress can set it off. When you’re scared or stressed, your body releases stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. They might make your heart beat faster and make you sweat.
In some people, they might cause a panic attack.
Jot down each attack: when, where and how long. A GP will ask how often they come and how long you’ve had them.
Is it a panic attack or a heart attack?
You can’t always tell. The NHS says most panic signs can come from other conditions too. A racing heart, for example, can come from very low blood pressure.
| Chest pain like this | What the NHS says to do |
|---|---|
| Sudden pain or discomfort that doesn’t go away. It can feel like squeezing, pressure, burning or indigestion. | Call 999 |
| Pain that spreads to either arm, or your neck, jaw, stomach or back | Call 999 |
| Chest pain and you feel sweaty, sick, light-headed or short of breath | Call 999 |
| Chest pain that comes and goes, or goes quickly but still worries you | See a GP |
Source: NHS: chest pain
The NHS says that in most cases, chest pain is not caused by a heart problem.
Panic is one cause of chest pain. The NHS describes it as often sharp and constant, set off by worry or stress, with a faster heartbeat, sweating and dizziness.
Some of those signs are on the 999 list too. So don’t try to tell them apart yourself. If your chest pain matches a 999 sign, call.
Heart racing between attacks? See heart palpitations and blood tests.
How to calm an anxiety attack
Feel one starting? Four NHS steps
- 1
Stay put
Stay where you are, if you can.
- 2
Breathe slowly
Breathe slowly and deeply, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
- 3
Tell yourself
This will pass, and it’s not life threatening.
- 4
Picture calm
Focus on a peaceful, relaxing image.
Sources: NHS: panic disorder; NHS: breathing exercises
For the breathing, count from 1 to 5 as you breathe in, then 1 to 5 as you breathe out. You may not reach 5 at first. Keep going for at least 5 minutes.
Practise it today, while you’re calm. The NHS says you get the most from it if you do it every day. Then it’s ready when you need it.
Skip the drink or cigarette. The NHS says alcohol, cigarettes and drugs used to ease anxiety can all add to poor mental health.
Woken by one? See panic attacks at night.
Why do panic attacks keep coming back?
After one attack, you may start to avoid places you fear will set off another. That can add to your panic and may cause more attacks.
That cycle has a name: the NHS calls it living in “fear of fear”. To break it, slowly build up the time you spend in places that worry you, rather than avoiding them.
One attack doesn’t mean you have a disorder. In surveys of adults in 25 countries, 13.2% had had a panic attack. Only about 1 in 8 of them met the criteria for panic disorder.
Six NHS steps that may help prevent another attack
- Cut sugary food and drinks, caffeine and alcohol, as they can make attacks worse.
- Stop smoking, as it can make attacks worse too.
- Practise the breathing exercise every day.
- Do regular exercise to ease stress and tension.
- Try yoga or pilates to help you relax.
- Ask your GP to recommend a self-help book based on CBT (a talking therapy that changes how you think and react).
Sources: NHS: panic disorder; NHS: breathing exercises
Pick one to start this week. See when to stop caffeine and natural remedies for anxiety.
How are panic attacks treated?
Panic disorder may be diagnosed if you have regular, unexpected attacks, then at least a month of worry about having more. It’s treatable, so get help early.
What usually happens when you ask for help
- 1
Talk
A GP asks about your symptoms, how often they come and how long you’ve had them.
- 2
Check
They may examine you to rule out other causes.
- 3
Talking therapy
CBT. In England, if you’re 18 or over (16 in some areas), you can refer yourself.
- 4
Medicine, if it may help
Such as an antidepressant, if you and your doctor think it might help.
CBT is a talking therapy. Your therapist may look at how you react during an attack and what you think, then teach you ways to keep calm.
Antidepressants can take 2 to 4 weeks to start working, and up to 8 weeks to work fully. Never stop or change a prescribed medicine without your prescriber.
Panic disorder may affect your driving. By law you must tell the DVLA (the agency that runs driving licences) about a condition that could.
Wondering if a blood test could find a cause? See blood tests for anxiety.
When to speak to a GP
Book an appointment if:
- You’ve had symptoms of panic disorder, such as attacks that keep coming out of the blue.
- You’re struggling to cope with anxiety, fear or panic, or what you’re trying yourself isn’t helping.
- You’d rather a GP referred you to talking therapy.
- You can’t tell if shortness of breath is from anxiety, or other symptoms worry you.
- You have chest pain that comes and goes, or goes quickly but still worries you.
Call 999 for chest pain that is sudden and doesn’t go away, or spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back. Also call for chest pain with sweating, feeling sick, light-headedness or shortness of breath.
Call 999 or go to A&E if someone’s life is at risk, or you feel you can’t keep yourself or someone else safe. For urgent mental health help, call 111 and choose the mental health option. Samaritans are on 116 123, day or night.