What Are Common Panic Attack Symptoms?

You're pretty sure you've had a panic attack. Whatever it was, it was pretty scary and you'd like to know more about it and how to stop it from coming back. One of the first things you'll need to understand a little better are the various symptoms.

While each person suffering from panic attacks may have slightly different feelings or chain of events they go through leading up to their attacks, there are a few fairly common symptoms or combinations that most people will experience.

These symptoms include:

• Hyperventilation or some difficulty with breathing

• Tingling feelings in some or several parts of the body

• An extremely rapid heart beat or irregularities of the heartbeat

• Tightness throughout the chest area

• Dizziness or feelings of losing consciousness

• Feelings that are variously described as quivering, quaking or shuddering

• A queasy stomach

• Feeling of being disconnected from the body or mind

• Sweating even though the surrounding temperature seems normal

• Excessive fear of dying

• Fear of losing control of the body

Panic attacks are a little strange in that they can occur at almost any time and in any situation. That's what makes them such a challenge to beat. They usually only continue for a few minutes. Sometimes they can last up to as long as half an hour, but rarely longer.

Lots of times, for whatever reasons a person will only have one or two panic attacks and then never have another. Perhaps, the issue that was causing the extra stress in their life is settled and things become fairly normal again.

But, if the attacks continue they will probably come at shorter intervals and can be tied to particular events or situations. The repeated attacks will more than likely lead to constant concern about having more panic attacks which will have a major impact upon a person's behavior and outlook on life. If the attacks continue to elevate then the development of panic disorder is a possibility.

The symptoms of panic disorder include:

• Repetitive and unanticipated attacks not related to any one condition or location

• Continual concern about having more attacks leading to increasingly higher and higher levels of fear with less time where there are feelings of normalcy

• Fairly sweeping changes in behavior because of the attacks-including avoiding situations and locations where panic attacks have happened in the past because there is a feeling these situations or locations are the cause of the attacks

These are the symptoms of panic attacks and panic disorders. If you believe you, or someone you know, are suffering from any of these symptoms take the steps to more fully understand the symptoms and get some tools to help deal with them.