Panic attacks

Panic attacks most commonly occur following a period of intense stress, but can be brought on by respiratory problems or postures that restrict breathing in any way. Not everyone who has a panic attack will develop a panic disorder, which is an extreme fear of having another panic attack.

The symptoms of a panic attack include over breathing, racing heart, sweating, trembling, feeling sick, an "electric shock" sensation, feeling an urgent need to rush to the toilet, feeling faint, pains in the chest and an overwhelming feeling of fear and dread. The symptoms can be so intense that it becomes extremely frightening for the person to contemplate experiencing it again. The symptoms can be so strong that frequently people think they are having a heart attack.

What are the signs?

You may be experiencing a panic attack if you have some of the above symptoms and:

• You think you are having a heart attack
• You feel extremely frightened
• You think you are going to die
• You feel faint
• You feel totally overwhelmed and think you are going "crazy"

What are the causes?

Panic attacks are usually activated by a stressful situation. There are many potential causes of panic attacks including:

• Hyper arousal
• Hypochondria
• Genetic inheritance
• Learned responses

How are panic attacks treated?

Panic attacks are one of the most successfully treated disorders. Management of attacks using behavioural strategies like breathing exercises and relaxation training is one method of treatment. A person can also be exposed to the cues or events that trigger the panic in the first place and can be taught to handle these events in different ways that minimise the panic symptoms.  This is known as 'cue' or 'exposure' therapy.

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