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Anxiety Attack
If
you have panic disorder, this means you experience periodic panic
attacks. Panic attacks are intense episodes of fear which are so
powerful that they lead the person to fear that he/she is dying,
going crazy, about to faint, or losing control of themselves in some
vital way.
Panic
attacks may be "uncued", or unexpected (i.e. they seem to
"come out of the blue", occurring for no apparent reason).
They can also occur in response to various cues such as entering a
crowded area; a traffic jam; being the
center
of attention, etc.
Panic
attacks can be part of a variety of anxiety disorders, and the fact
that you have panic attacks does not necessarily mean you have panic
disorder. For instance, if all your panic attacks are about social
situations, you may have Social Phobia rather than Panic Disorder. Or
you may be having panic attacks in response to some other problem. An
evaluation by a qualified therapist can help you to make the
distinction, and arrive at an accurate diagnosis.
A
panic attack can consist of many different symptoms, but among the
most common are:
racing heart
(also skipped heartbeats and "loud heart")
chest pain, tightness, and
heaviness
dizziness and light-headedness
numbness and tingling in the hands
and feet
labored breathing, feeling short
of breath, and hyperventilation
stomach and intestinal distress
racing thoughts and confusion
fear of some catastrophic
breakdown, i.e., death or insanity
a strong impulse to flee
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