What Is a Panic Attack? Explanation, Causes & Signs

Panic attacks can be terrifying experiences. And they can be even scarier when you don’t know what a panic attack is. But when you understand their causes, signs, and what to do, you can start to feel more capable of managing one.

After all, panic attacks are more common than you might think: More than one-third of all people will experience a panic attack at some point in their lives.

What is a panic attack?

A panic attack i s like this: Imagine your body has a built-in alarm system. (This is your “fight-or-flight” response that kicks in when your body senses danger.)

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This alarm system is helpful when you’re facing a real threat, like a speeding car. But sometimes, this system gets a little overexcited and triggers the same response when there’s no real danger present. This is a panic attack.

The feelings and physical sensations of a panic attack are very real and can be incredibly frightening, but they are not physically harmful. 

What does a panic attack feel like?

Have you ever felt your heart racing, your breath quickening, and an overwhelming sense of fear or panic wash over you out of nowhere? Maybe you felt a sudden, overwhelming sense of being trapped, like you needed to leave your current surroundings immediately, or maybe you felt on the verge of losing control. Maybe you thought you were having a heart attack or even dying.

If so, you might have experienced a panic attack. Panic attacks are sudden episodes of intense anxiety, and their sensations can be scary. After they pass, you might feel exhausted, numb, and even embarrassed for several hours to several days, depending on the severity of your experience. This is commonly known as a ‘panic attack hangover.’

Why does a panic attack happen?

The exact cause of a panic attack isn’t fully known. But several factors can contribute to whether you ever have one, or if you have repeated panic attacks that develop into panic disorder. These factors include:

Stress: For most people, extreme stress from major life changes, such as a new job, sudden financial insecurity, or the loss of a loved one, can cause a panic attack.

Genetics: Panic attacks can run in families, suggesting a genetic influence on the cause of panic attacks. However, there is no single ‘panic attack gene’; people without a family history of panic attacks can have one (or several), and people with a family history may never experience a panic attack.

Brain chemistry: Imbalances in neurotransmitters, the brain’s chemical messengers, may play a role in whether your brain and body respond to stress with a panic attack.

Underlying conditions: Other anxiety disorders, depression, and certain medical conditions can cause your risk of panic attacks to increase.

What are the signs of a panic attack?

Recognizing the signs of a panic attack can be difficult, especially if you’re still developing your emotional awareness or you’ve never experienced a panic attack before. But learning the general signs of a panic attack can help you manage them more effectively. (A comprehensive list of panic attack symptoms is available here.)

Common signs of a panic attack include:

• Emotional signs of a panic attack: An intense fear, panic, or a sense of impending doom is the main sign of a panic attack. You might feel like something terrible is about to happen even though you can’t pinpoint what. Or you might feel you’re about to lose your control, even though you don’t know why. Or you might feel sudden sense of  being trapped or needing to escape. Or you might become suddenly sure you’re dying, though you are safe.
• Physical signs of a panic attack: Sensations like a racing heart, shortness of breath or hyperventilation, sweating, trembling, chest pain, dizziness, feeling faint, tingling or numbness, chills or hot flashes can all be part of a panic attack experience. Physically, you might feel like you’re having a heart attack or even dying.
• Cognitive signs of a panic attack: You might feel detached from yourself or your surroundings. The emotions and physical sensations you’re experiencing, while everyone else is going about their normal life, can make it seem like you’re in a dream or that things are happening around you but not quite to you.

These symptoms can vary in intensity and duration, but they typically peak within 10 minutes and then gradually ease.