Definition:
A panic attack is a brief but intense period of fear or discomfort that usually develops very quickly and peaks within about ten minutes.
During a panic attack, one may experience some of the following sensations:
- a pounding heart
- sweating
- trembling or shaking
- feelings of shortness of breath or choking
- chest pain
- nausea
- dizziness
- fear of losing control or dying
- numbness
Panic attacks can be triggered by a particular event (called “situationally-bound panic”) or may seem to come out of the blue.
