Panic Attacks: Symptoms and What to Do in the Moment

A panic attack is like an emotional tsunami: it comes on suddenly, it's overwhelming, and it leaves you with the feeling that something terrible is about to happen. Knowing about panic attacks and their symptoms is essential so you don't mistake it for a heart problem, and so you know how to respond.

Main Symptoms of a Panic Attack

Unlike generalized anxiety, panic is acute and intense. The peak usually lasts 10 to 20 minutes. Symptoms include:

• A sense of impending death: Certainty that you're about to die.
• Fear of losing control or going crazy.
• Chest pain and strong palpitations: Often mistaken for a heart attack.
• A sense of unreality (derealization): Feeling like the world around you isn't real.
• Depersonalization: Feeling detached from your own body.
• Dizziness and vertigo.

What to Do During an Attack

1. Remember: this will pass.
   Repeat to yourself: "This is just adrenaline. I am not dying. This will pass in a few minutes."

2. Control your breathing
   Hyperventilating makes symptoms worse. Try to breathe slowly. Inhale for a count of 4, hold for 2, release over 6.

3. The Grounding Technique
   Bring your mind into the present using your 5 senses:

• Name 5 things you can see.
• 4 things you can touch.
• 3 things you can hear.
• 2 things you can smell.
• 1 thing you can taste.

Treatment and Prevention

If you've had more than one attack, see a psychiatrist or psychologist. Panic Disorder has effective treatment. Don't let the fear of having another attack (fear of fear itself) trap you at home. You're stronger than you think.