What Do Panic Attacks Feel Like? 

A panic attack strikes without warning, flooding you with sudden feelings of fear or terror.  These episodes can happen anytime or any place without any warning symptoms.  Many people have no idea what's happening to them at the time of an attacks, because not too many people know what panic attacks feel like.

You feel as though you are being attacked with feelings of total panic but many times you don't know what you are afraid of.  You want to run away or escape to a safe place, anywhere to just get away from this panic of fear.

Your heart starts to beat rapidly and you feel like you can't take a deep breath of air.  Your chest hurts.  Your throat feels tight and sometimes you have a feeling there is a lump in your throat. 

You feel like you are going to faint or pass out, feeling weak, dizzy, cold and sweaty.  You fear that you're dying or some sort of doom is about to happen.  You're terrified of what might happen next and may have this overwhelming need to run away. 

Your fingers and hands feel numb and tingling.  You feel as though you are losing control of yourself.  You begin to wonder what is happening to you.  Worry takes its toll and all you can do is pray for this feeling to stop.

That's basically what panic attacks feel like.  It's terrifying.

Stress and the tendency to have an anxiety disorder was there all the time, you just weren't aware of it until you become plagued with panic attacks.

Now your whole life is centered on panic attacks and the fear of having another.  Stress multiplies and the one thing that was a major factor in starting to have panic attacks is far greater than it was.  Friends or family members encourage you to go to see your physician but you post pone going out of fear of what he might diagnose.  Finally, you decide you have to go seek medical attention. This is the turning point to help you gain control. 

How Long a Panic Attack Lasts

A panic attack usually peaks within 10 minutes but some of the feelings last longer, you are afraid this overwhelming feeling of panic will come back. After the episode, you feel weak, tired or exhausted, headachy and sometimes sleepy. 

You begin to let the fear of having another panic attack control your life, that someone might find out you have lost control of living without this fear.  You spend each day in fear of another episode happening, so you don't go out of your home, you feel this is your safest place to be.  If you do go out, you plan in your mind, places to escape if a panic attack should overcome you, location of the exit doors, bathrooms, any kind of escape route.

How you can live with Panic Attacks

Your physician can do tests to determine if the panic attacks are due to a physical problem, such as thyroid problems.  The physician can give you medication to help with the symptoms of anxiety and refer you to a psychologist for counseling, both are essential to gain control of panic attacks. 

You will learn what a panic attack is, and what causes them.  Your counselor will help you to learn that you are not a weak person, but much stronger than you ever thought you were. 

You must learn to reduce the stress in your life through exercise, diet, meditation, and through security of family, friends and most of all self worth.  The flight of fear will be replaced with the fight of fear and you will be in control of not only the panic attacks, but your whole life!