Can anybody describe what a panic attack (or) anxiety attack feels like?

Answer 1

There are actually a lot of different things you might experience when you are having an attack

Rapid heart beat, pounding heart or palpitations
Sweating
Shaking visibly or inside
Choking sensations or lump in throat
Smothering or shortness of breath sensations
Chest pain or discomfort
Nausea, bloating, indigestion or abdominal discomfort
Dizziness or unsteadiness
Feeling light-headed
Derealisation (feeling unreal or dreamy)
Depersonalisation (feeling outside yourself or like you don't exist)
Fear of losing control or going crazy
Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations) in face, extremities or body
Chills or hot flushes
Skin losing color
Blushing or skin blotches
Urgently needing to urinate or defecate

plus many more, these are just the most common ones

Answer 2

Mine feel like a heart attack, my chest hurts so bad and I feel like I have a knife stuck in my back. I usually end up on the floor withering in pain. Seems like it last about 30 minutes, I'm sure it's closer to 15. Like I said, it's very painful. When I feel one coming on I will take an anxiety pill. Still I have to ride it out, because the pill will not take effect that fast. If you have these I would recommend you talk to your doctor and get put on an anxiety medication. I don't have a problem with public places, thank God this has never happened outside the home:~)

Answer 3

My mom was pretty rough with me and my older sister. Whenever she was real mean I often got panic attacks. I couldn't breathe & I literally thought I was going to die. She was at least nice enough to be concern about it. I would start off crying and all of a suden started suffocating when I got overwhemled with emotion.

I've heard that other people that think that they are dying from their panic attack have run out onto the street and asked for help because they were so frightened.

Answer 4

I have read some litterature about panic attacks. But they allways seem to have a more scientific approach and that is nothing I need in my struggle to survive those horrible panic attacks. This is a "hand on" and very practical book. I felt it was written to me. I am sure that you are going to feel the same.

Joe Barry writes exactly how I think. The examples are perfectly described. And the method is genius. I recommend this book and thanks Joe Barry for writing it. It changes your life

Answer 5

You feel like you have to run or get out of a building. your chest hurts and you have trouble breathing. You go white and feel like you are losing control and you get scared all at the same time! Breath slowly and deeply and settle down. You can get therapy and/or meds to help. I have them and so does my bro. He was hospitaized twice for heart attacks but it was the panic instead.I started having them bad after I have several surgeries in a row . I could smell alcohol and get one! I am better now though after counciling and meds. Best wishes!

Answer 6

I suffer from panic attacks and to me depending how bad it is,it feels like my heart is beating a million beats a minute and i have really bad heart palpatations,sometimes i have nausea, i feel restless, i cannot concentrate sometimes i have really bad chest pain. Have you seen a Doc. about this? This is a serious disorder and it can be controlled with meds.

Answer 7

Your chest hurts, you have trouble breathing, and you think you're going to die. You might pass out. If this sounds like you, it could be a panic attack or it could be a serious medical problem. You should go to the ER.

Answer 8

It feels like something squeezing you. The sides of my ribcage hurt. And I get a tremendous headache. I need absolute darkness, and a bed. There's no cure but time. My mother used to get them with vomiting. I think it's different for everyone. So you should probably go to the hospital to make sure you aren't having a more serious problem.

Answer 9

like when my hubby passed away I felt like dying. Cant sleep at nite and I wanted to go out and take a walk in the middle of the nite. I felt suffocated inside my room my house that I wanted to strip my house of its roof and walls. I cry for my late hubby's untimely demise. I feel like drowning. My tears feel without reasons at all. My eyes wont close my mind cant rest. My doctor prescribed me Rivotril. I took 1/2 tab b4 9pm together with Remeron 1 tab . the meds calm me down. Now I have recovered and moving on.

Answer 10

My anxiety attacks feel like that after affect of being scared really bad - like an adrenaline rush. (in a bad way) I shake, get nauseaus, I feel jittery like I've had way to much caffeine. My thoughts get fuzzy and I talk really quickly. My chest will sometimes feel tight.