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Panic attacks are episodes of intense fear with unpleasant physical symptoms that usually occur without any outside threat being present. You may be short of breath or breathe rapidly (hyperventilate) and suffer from sweating, dizziness, nausea, numbness, chest pains, or palpitations.
Evidence checked against current NHS panic/anxiety guidance and NICE CG113. The sources consistently support controlled breathing, appropriate assessment of new physical symptoms and evidence-based psychological treatment such as CBT.
Public health education article
See your doctor first — Make an appointment to see your doctor to check that your symptoms are not due to a more serious illness such as heart disease.
HIGH CONFIDENCE
CHECK — Consider appropriate assessment if symptoms persist, worsen, or interfere with daily life.
Use slow controlled breathing, reduce avoidance, recognise recurrent panic, and seek assessment when symptoms are new, frequent or impairing.
Status: PENDING
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Panic attacks are episodes of intense fear with unpleasant physical symptoms that usually occur without any outside threat being present. You may be short of breath or breathe rapidly (hyperventilate) and suffer from sweating, dizziness, nausea, numbness, chest pains, or palpitations.
Use slow controlled breathing, reduce avoidance, recognise recurrent panic, and seek assessment when symptoms are new, frequent or impairing.
Self-care measures do not help after a few weeks of consistent effort.
Panic attacks are episodes of intense fear with unpleasant physical symptoms that usually occur without any outside threat being present. You may be short of breath or breathe rapidly (hyperventilate) and suffer from sweating, dizziness, nausea, numbness, chest pains, or palpitations.
Attacks may be linked to anxiety, stress, depression, a phobia (such as fear of flying), or taking stimulants or drugs, but symptoms can develop for no apparent reason.
Make an appointment to see your doctor to check that your symptoms are not due to a more serious illness such as heart disease.
Avoidance provides short-term relief but reinforces panic over time. Gently and gradually facing situations in which you are prone to attacks causes symptoms to fade more quickly.
Rapid breathing during a panic attack lowers carbon dioxide levels in your blood, causing dizziness and making the attack feel worse. This simple technique reverses that quickly.
BarnMD Health Intelligence uses authoritative and clinically relevant sources appropriate to the topic. References are shown so readers can inspect the evidence directly.
BarnMD Health Library provides general health education for public health literacy. Reading this article does not establish a doctor-patient relationship and this information is not a diagnosis, prescription, or personalised treatment plan. If you have symptoms or concerns about your health, seek appropriate advice from a qualified healthcare professional. If you develop emergency warning signs, seek urgent or emergency medical attention.
Panic attacks feel frightening, but they are not dangerous. Learning to recognize early signs and practicing calming techniques can help you regain a sense of control.
You are not alone, and help is available.