What Are Common Symptoms of a Panic Attack?
What exactly are panic and anxiety attacks? The American Psychiatric Association defines panic attacks as “a discrete period of intense discomfort or fear accompanied by at least 4 of 13 physical or cognitive problems”. Indeed, experiencing less than 4 of the symptoms is referred to as a “limited symptom attack”. So, what are symptoms of anxiety attacks? Symptoms can include: sweating, trembling, heart palpitations, shortness of breath or feeling of being suffocated, feelings of choking or smothering, chest discomfort or pain, diarrhea, cotton mouth, abdominal discomfort, dizziness, feeling on pins and needles, depersonalization, hot flushes or chills (APA, 1994). Individuals suffering from this type of attack commonly report a fear of “losing control” in some way and/or thinking that they are going to die. The cognitive and physical symptoms usually precede a strong desire to escape. In order to control panic attacks, one must learn about them. 1. Spontaneous panic attacks These are n
