What is a Panic Attack?

Panic attacks, which affect roughly one-third of Americans, and perhaps many more who are simply unaware that they are even suffering from panic attacks, involve a period of intense, often overwhelming and irrational, fear of distress that are usually associated with other fears.  Lasting for roughly thirty minutes or so, and occasionally much shorter or longer, there are several primary symptoms associated with the panic attacks.  For example, those who have experienced them generally state that there is a brief onset of trembling, followed by a shortness of breath.  These are considered the minor symptoms, although for those who experience a heavier, longer panic attacks, symptoms can and usually are much more severe.  Ranging from heart palpitations to hyperventilation to choking or smothering, panic attacks can cause an individual severe pain and can have lasting consequences. 

There is a general consensus among the medical community that panic attacks stem from other phobias, or fears, which in turn triggers a panic attack upon exposure to these fears.  If a person suffers from acrophobia, or fear of heights, for instance, upon flying in an airplane, this phobia may be triggered, causing the person to enter a panicked state and, hence, have a panic attack.  During a panic attack, the "flight vs. fight" reaction comes into play and the person experiencing the attack suddenly has an overwhelming desire to leave the situation they are currently in.  Moreover, chest pains or restricted breathing often accompanies this "flight vs. fight" reaction and this, potentially leading to feelings of impending doom, frequently spurs the sufferer to seek medical attention.
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Women and Panic Attacks
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Panic Attack News On The Web

Fury as Facebook ignores 100 reports of 'grooming' and refuses to install panic button after teen's murder (Daily Mail)
The social networking site does not have a 'panic button' on its pages allowing users to raise the alarm about suspected grooming easily.

Peter Andre - Peter Andres Crippling Panic Attacks (ContactMusic)
Peter Andre considered suicide after suffering crippling panic attacks. The 'Behind Closed Doors' singer - whose marriage with glamour model Katie Price ended in...

Nigerian Death Toll After Sectarian Attack Passes 500 (Update2) (BusinessWeek)
At least 528 people were killed in an attack on a predominantly Christian village by Muslim Fulani herders near the central Nigerian city of Jos, a local rights group said.

Pakistani Taliban claim responsibility for Lahore attack (Hindustan Times)
A suicide car bomber destroyed offices used to interrogate suspected militants in Lahore on Monday, killing up to 13 people in the latest attack on Pakistan's cultural capital.

Dirty bomb would cause panic, cost billions: Study (Toronto Star)
A new federal study says the explosion of a small dirty bomb near the CN Tower would spew radioactivity over four square kilometres, resulting in mass anxiety, a rush on Toronto's medical facilities and an economic toll of up to $23.5 billion.

Panicked Andre's suicidal thoughts (Daily Telegraph)
AUSTRALIAN singer Peter Andre has revealed how he considered suicide after suffering crippling panic attacks from his messy marriage split.

Suicide car bomber strikes Pakistani counter-terrorism offices (Los Angeles Times)
The Lahore attack destroys a building housing investigators who interrogate key suspects. About 80 are wounded in the first such strike in Punjab province this year. Reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan, and Lahore, Pakistan -- A suicide car bombing at a building in Lahore that houses terrorism investigators killed at least 13 people and wounded 80 others Monday, the first terrorist strike this ...

All My Children Sneak Peek: Week of March 8, 2010 (SOAPnet)
Good news: After a scary panic attack, Annie manages to go through with the bone marrow donation. Bad news: JR still might not make it. He has a reaction and the infusion has to be stopped. Not good at all ... except for those of us who want to see Angel Dixie (and her new hair!) again.

Taliban car bomb kills 15 in Pakistan's Lahore (AFP via Yahoo! News)
A suicide car bomber destroyed offices used to interrogate suspected militants in Lahore on Monday, killing 15 people in the latest bloody attack on Pakistan's cultural capital.

Taliban car bomb kills 13 in Pakistan' Lahore (AFP via Yahoo! News)
A suicide car bomber devastated offices used to interrogate suspected militants in Lahore on Monday, killing up to 13 people in the latest attack on Pakistan's cultural capital.