A panic attack can precede or follow a specific event, such as a public speech, or it may develop for no apparent reason. While these kind of attacks often manifest with physical symptoms, psychological symptoms and conditions can also be components. When panic attacks occur repeatedly and are accompanied by other anxiety symptoms, an anxiety disorder may be diagnosed.
Symptoms of a Panic Attack
During a panic attack, a person experiences a sense of overwhelming anxiety that rises rapidly and usually peaks within 10 minutes. It is the "fight or flight" response, but often occurs in the absence of any clear stressor. According to the Mayo Clinic, common physical symptoms include a pounding heart, dizziness, nausea, sweating, dry mouth, trembling, chest pain and shortness of breath. Cognitive symptoms include thoughts of dying, intense dread, racing thoughts, and inability to concentrate. Since symptoms of a panic attack mimic those of a heart attack, unless you have a known history of panic attacks and have undergone cardiac evaluation, it is important to get immediate medical attention when experiencing these symptoms.
Panic Disorder
Occasional panic attacks are common and not a great cause of concern, the Mayo Clinic says. If panic attacks happen recurrently, however, the condition of panic disorder may be a possible diagnosis. Panic disorder occurs when a person has frequent attacks, fears that future attacks will occur, and changes his everyday behaviors as a result of fear of the attacks. Panic disorder can be treated using medications and psychotherapy.
Specific Phobia
Another possible condition associated with panic attacks is specific phobia. In specific phobia, there is fear of a specific object or situation, such as dogs or tight spaces. The sufferer works hard to avoid that stimulus despite knowing that the fear is unreasonable. Often the extreme anxiety that results presents itself as a panic attack. Specific phobias can be treated using cognitive-behavioral therapy, the American Psychiatric Association says.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
According to the American Psychiatric Association, people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have patterned, intrusive thoughts and accompanying actions to reduce the anxiety produced by those thoughts. A common example is cleanliness: A person with OCD might constantly think that her hands have germs on them and be driven to wash her hands intensely to address this persistent thought. When a sufferer is unable to act upon a compulsion or if the obsessive thoughts become too overwhelming, she might experience a panic attack.
