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A panic attack is not the hand-wringing worry we all have once in a while. It’s more like an anxiety bomb. It’s swift and powerful, and it can strike out of the blue.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) defines a panic attack as an abrupt surge of intense fear or discomfort, setting off a jumble of unpleasant feelings.¹ Panic attacks can be so distressing that some people keep these episodes under wraps. They may delay care, fearing the stigma that can come with a psychiatric diagnosis, according to a 2020 review in Neuroendocrinology Letters.² Even after being diagnosed, some people make repeated visits to the ER, believing they have heart disease, per a 2022 review in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care.
The thing is, you’re not in any physical danger, explained Russell Hunter, PsyD, a clinical psychologist in private practice in Northern Virginia and author of Attacking Panic: The Power To Be Calm. According to Hunter, a panic attack is more of “a false alarm.”
Here’s how to recognize when you’re having a panic attack.
A Panic Attack Comes on Quickly
One minute you’re fine and the next you’re in full-blown panic mode. What’s going on? It’s your body’s fight-or-flight response kicking in, according to the American Psychological Association.⁴ Hormones are released, your breathing accelerates, and your blood sugar spikes, Hunter told Health.
Some people are even bolted awake at night from so-called nocturnal panic attacks, according to a 2013 study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.
There May Be No Obvious Trigger
A panic attack is your body’s response to some perceived threat, albeit one that may not be readily apparent. It could be that a person’s survival-mode instincts are excessive, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Panic attacks are a symptom of panic disorder, per the DSM-5.¹ Why some people experience these attacks isn’t entirely clear, although a family history of panic attacks, stressful life events, and environmental factors are thought to may play a role.
Panic attacks often begin in a person’s teens or before the age of 25, but they can also strike children and adults in their 30s.