What is a panic attack?

Question

I have been to the shops in the past and come back crying my heart out... is that classed as one?

Answer 1

you feel afraid and have butterflies in your stomach cant breathe hyperventilate paranoia.you need to enrol in a relaxation class for some tips and techniques

Answer 2

It must be related with something from your unconscious thoughts.

Basically a panic attack is telling you that you are in big danger, but it only works if your understanding of the reality is correct.

Lets say you see a very strange guy and he is approaching to you, then you might have a panic attack because you think he might attack you, but he was only going to ask you for something to eat.

Panic attacks are just a mechanism that tells us to guard our-self, but we usually react in different ways, depending on how big the threaten is, or how big do we think it is, or on how we see things around us.

It might be related to something from the past as well. Lets say you had a terrible experience from when you were little of going to a shopping mall; (eg. someone letting you alone there) and you might associate your panic attacks with something from the past.

I have lots of panic attacks and I read a lot about that, if you want more help go to visit a psychologist, they should help you, but you have to find the right one.

Answer 3

http://health.yahoo.com/ency/healthwise/hw53796

What are panic attacks and panic disorder?

A panic attack is a sudden bout of intense fear or anxiety that causes frightening but not life-threatening symptoms such as a pounding heart, shortness of breath, and the feeling of losing control or dying. Usually from 5 to 20 minutes long, a panic attack may be triggered by stressful circumstances or it may occur unexpectedly.

The body has an automatic fear response that prepares you to either cope with or run away from danger. A panic attack results when this "fight or flight" response either overreacts or becomes activated when it is not needed at all. During a panic attack, your nervous system reacts as if you are facing a life-threatening situation, even though you may not be in danger. This response causes alarming physical symptoms and feelings.

Panic disorder is diagnosed when you have repeated panic attacks, you worry about having another attack, and you avoid places that you think may cause one. It is possible to have panic attacks without developing panic disorder, and panic attacks may occur with other anxiety disorders.

Answer 4

I understand that a panic attack is a period of intense, often temporarily disabling sense of extreme fear or psychological distress, typically of abrupt onset. Though it is often a purely terrifying feeling to the sufferer, panic attacks are actually an evolutionary body response often known as the fight-or-flight response. Symptoms may include trembling, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, chest pain (or chest tightness), sweating, nausea, dizziness (or slight vertigo), hyperventilation, paresthesias (tingling sensations), vomiting, and sensations of choking or smothering. During a panic attack, the body typically releases large amounts of adrenaline into the bloodstream. Many first time sufferers of a panic attack believe they are dying or going insane. It is a feeling that cannot be described until one has had an attack. Many often say panic attacks are one of the most frightening experiences in their lives. Repeated and apparently unprovoked panic attacks may be a sign of panic disorder, but panic attacks are associated with other anxiety disorders as well. For example, people who suffer from phobias may experience panic attacks upon exposure to certain triggers. People with panic disorder often can be treated with therapy and/or anti-anxiety/depression medication.

Recreational drugs have also been known to provoke panic attacks in certain people.
Good Luck.

Answer 5

Oh gosh, these are embarrasing. I've had a panic attack before because I freaked out when I thought my family and I got left behind in the rain forest. I was short of breath, causing my breath to come out in gasps, and crying the whole time. Although my family was trying to calm me down, I couldn't think reasonably and the fear completely englulfed me. This is a panic attack and they are not fun. I'm not sure what you have is.

Answer 6

I have panic attacks and they can come in many different forms. They are not always full blown like some people have written about . They usually begin small and get more serious as time goes on. Do you have anything else besides crying? When I have an attack my heart will race, I feel dizzy, my legs feel like jelly, it feels hard to breathe, swaety hands, and I feel like I am going to pass out. You should talk to your doctor about this and see what he thinks. If it is panic it is better to treatt is as fast as you can.

Answer 7

I think the proper full-blown panic attack involves some form of fear you're going to die all of a sudden and for no real reason. I had a friend of mine coming to parties with a pressure measuring device, so that she could overcome the panic, i.e. the certainty that her heart was about to explode.

The tears you describe could be depression coupled with strong anxiety about being out and about, and therefore the fear of not being normal, or fear of people.

With the panic attack you have cold sweats as well, and find it hard to breathe/heart rate increase.

Answer 8

A panic attack will just hit you out of the blue. One minute, all is fine, and the next minute, your palms are sweaty, you have a difficult time breathing, and you feel as though you're going to pass out. You feel as though you're having a heart attack. It's extremely frightening. But, what you must realize, is that it is manageable, although it may take medication and seeing a doctor for awhile. All the best!

Answer 9

A classical panic attack is when you cannot breathe, or your heart is racing and pounding and you feel like you are having a heart attack. Large amounts of anxiety have to be present to qualify as a panic attact. Do you understand why you are crying? Sounds a lot like depression to me.

Answer 10

A panic attack is a sudden overwhelming feeling. I've heard it described as thinking you are having a heart attack. They are generally triggered by stress.

Answer 11

No, a panic attack is when you get afraid and your heart beat increases

that sounds more like depression