Panic attacks and panic disorder - Symptoms and causes

You may feel fatigued and worn out after a panic attack subsides. Panic attacks typically include some of these signs or symptoms:. COVID-19:Advice,updatesandvaccineoptions FindoutaboutCOVID-19,COVID-19vaccines,andMayoClinicpatientandvisitorupdates. Skiptositenavigation SkiptoContent ThiscontentdoesnothaveanEnglishversion.ThiscontentdoesnothaveanArabicversion. SectionsforPanicattacksandpanicdisorderSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departments Print OverviewApanicattackisasuddenepisodeofintensefearthattriggersseverephysicalreactionswhenthereisnorealdangerorapparentcause.Panicattackscanbeveryfrightening.Whenpanicattacksoccur,youmightthinkyou'relosingcontrol,havingaheartattackorevendying. Manypeoplehavejustoneortwopanicattacksintheirlifetimes,andtheproblemgoesaway,perhapswhenastressfulsituationends.Butifyou'vehadrecurrent,unexpectedpanicattacksandspentlongperiodsinconstantfearofanotherattack,youmayhaveaconditioncalledpanicdisorder. Althoughpanicattacksthemselvesaren'tlife-threatening,theycanbefrighteningandsignificantlyaffectyourqualityoflife.Buttreatmentcanbeveryeffective.Products&ServicesBook:MayoClinicFamilyHealthBook,5thEditionNewsletter:MayoClinicHealthLetter—DigitalEditionShowmoreproductsfromMayoClinic SymptomsPanicattackstypicallybeginsuddenly,withoutwarning.Theycanstrikeatanytime—whenyou'redrivingacar,atthemall,soundasleeporinthemiddleofabusinessmeeting.Youmayhaveoccasionalpanicattacks,ortheymayoccurfrequently. Panicattackshavemanyvariations,butsymptomsusuallypeakwithinminutes.Youmayfeelfatiguedandwornoutafterapanicattacksubsides. Panicattackstypicallyincludesomeofthesesignsorsymptoms: Senseofimpendingdoomordanger Fearoflossofcontrolordeath Rapid,poundingheartrate Sweating Tremblingorshaking Shortnessofbreathortightnessinyourthroat Chills Hotflashes Nausea Abdominalcramping Chestpain Headache Dizziness,lightheadednessorfaintness Numbnessortinglingsensation Feelingofunrealityordetachment Oneoftheworstthingsaboutpanicattacksistheintensefearthatyou'llhaveanotherone.Youmayfearhavingpanicattackssomuchthatyouavoidcertainsituationswheretheymayoccur. WhentoseeadoctorIfyouhavepanicattacksymptoms,seekmedicalhelpassoonaspossible.Panicattacks,whileintenselyuncomfortable,arenotdangerous.Butpanicattacksarehardtomanageonyourown,andtheymaygetworsewithouttreatment. Panicattacksymptomscanalsoresemblesymptomsofotherserioushealthproblems,suchasaheartattack,soit'simportanttogetevaluatedbyyourprimarycareproviderifyouaren'tsurewhat'scausingyoursymptoms. RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic CausesIt'snotknownwhatcausespanicattacksorpanicdisorder,butthesefactorsmayplayarole: Genetics Majorstress Temperamentthatismoresensitivetostressorpronetonegativeemotions Certainchangesinthewaypartsofyourbrainfunction Panicattacksmaycomeonsuddenlyandwithoutwarningatfirst,butovertime,they'reusuallytriggeredbycertainsituations. Someresearchsuggeststhatyourbody'snaturalfight-or-flightresponsetodangerisinvolvedinpanicattacks.Forexample,ifagrizzlybearcameafteryou,yourbodywouldreactinstinctively.Yourheartrateandbreathingwouldspeedupasyourbodypreparedforalife-threateningsituation.Manyofthesamereactionsoccurinapanicattack.Butit'sunknownwhyapanicattackoccurswhenthere'snoobviousdangerpresent.MoreInformationNocturnalpanicattacks:Whatcausesthem? RiskfactorsSymptomsofpanicdisorderoftenstartinthelateteensorearlyadulthoodandaffectmorewomenthanmen. Factorsthatmayincreasetheriskofdevelopingpanicattacksorpanicdisorderinclude: Familyhistoryofpanicattacksorpanicdisorder Majorlifestress,suchasthedeathorseriousillnessofalovedone Atraumaticevent,suchassexualassaultoraseriousaccident Majorchangesinyourlife,suchasadivorceortheadditionofababy Smokingorexcessivecaffeineintake Historyofchildhoodphysicalorsexualabuse ComplicationsLeftuntreated,panicattacksandpanicdisordercanaffectalmosteveryareaofyourlife.Youmaybesoafraidofhavingmorepanicattacksthatyouliveinaconstantstateoffear,ruiningyourqualityoflife. Complicationsthatpanicattacksmaycauseorbelinkedtoinclude: Developmentofspecificphobias,suchasfearofdrivingorleavingyourhome Frequentmedicalcareforhealthconcernsandothermedicalconditions Avoidanceofsocialsituations Problemsatworkorschool Depression,anxietydisordersandotherpsychiatricdisorders Increasedriskofsuicideorsuicidalthoughts Alcoholorothersubstancemisuse Financialproblems Forsomepeople,panicdisordermayincludeagoraphobia—avoidingplacesorsituationsthatcauseyouanxietybecauseyoufearbeingunabletoescapeorgethelpifyouhaveapanicattack.Oryoumaybecomereliantonotherstobewithyouinordertoleaveyourhome. PreventionThere'snosurewaytopreventpanicattacksorpanicdisorder.However,theserecommendationsmayhelp. Gettreatmentforpanicattacksassoonaspossibletohelpstopthemfromgettingworseorbecomingmorefrequent. Stickwithyourtreatmentplantohelppreventrelapsesorworseningofpanicattacksymptoms. Getregularphysicalactivity,whichmayplayaroleinprotectingagainstanxiety. ByMayoClinicStaff RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic Diagnosis&treatment May04,2018 Print Shareon:FacebookTwitter Showreferences Panicdisorder.In:DiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalDisordersDSM-5.5thed.Arlington,Va.:AmericanPsychiatricAssociation;2013.http://dsm.psychiatryonline.org.AccessedApril12,2018. Roy-BynePP.Panicdisorder:Epidemiology,pathogenesis,clinicalmanifestations,course,assessment,anddiagnosis.https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search.AccessedMarch16,2018. Panicdisorder:Whenfearoverwhelms.NationalInstituteofMentalHealth.http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/panic-disorder-when-fear-overwhelms/index.shtml.AccessedMarch16,2018. Answerstoyourquestionsaboutpanicdisorder.AmericanPsychologicalAssociation.http://www.apa.org/topics/anxiety/panic-disorder.aspx.AccessedApril12,2018. CraskeM.Psychotherapyforpanicdisorderwithorwithoutagoraphobiainadults.https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search.AccessedMarch16,2018. Inositol.NaturalMedicines.https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com.AccessedMarch16,2018. GaudlitzK,etal.Aerobicexercisetrainingfacilitatestheeffectivenessofcognitivebehavioraltherapyinpanicdisorder.DepressionandAnxiety.2015;32:221. VorkapicCF,etal.Reducingthesymptomatologyofpanicdisorder:Theeffectsofayogaprogramaloneandincombinationwithcognitive-behavioraltherapy.FrontiersinPsychiatry.2014;5:1. Roy-ByrnePP.Pharmacotherapyforpanicdisorderwithorwithoutagoraphobiainadults.https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search.AccessedMarch16,2018. Alprazolam,clonazepam,venlafaxinehydrochloride,fluoxetinehydrochloride,sertralinehydrochloride,paroxetinehydrochloride,paroxetinemesylate.Micromedex2.0HealthcareSeries.http://www.micromedexsolutions.com.AccessedMarch16,2018. Roy-BynePP,etal.Approachtotreatingpanicdisorderwithorwithoutagoraphobiainadults.https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search.AccessedMarch16,2018. Usingdietarysupplementswisely.NationalCenterforComplementaryandIntegrativeHealth.https://nccih.nih.gov/health/supplements/wiseuse.htm.AccessedMarch19,2018. SawchukCA(expertopinion).MayoClinic,Rochester,Minn.April6,2018. Related Nocturnalpanicattacks:Whatcausesthem? AssociatedProcedures Cognitivebehavioraltherapy Electrocardiogram(ECGorEKG) Psychotherapy Products&Services Book:MayoClinicFamilyHealthBook,5thEdition Newsletter:MayoClinicHealthLetter—DigitalEdition ShowmoreproductsandservicesfromMayoClinic PanicattacksandpanicdisorderSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departments Advertisement MayoClinicdoesnotendorsecompaniesorproducts.Advertisingrevenuesupportsournot-for-profitmission. Advertising&Sponsorship Policy Opportunities AdChoices MayoClinicPress Checkoutthesebest-sellersandspecialoffersonbooksandnewslettersfromMayoClinicPress. 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