If you experience the sudden onset of intense fear or anxiety, you may be having a panic attack. The symptoms of a severe panic attack can mimic those of a heart attack, which may worsen anxiety or fear in some patients. Recurrent symptoms of a severe panic attack may indicate that you have a chronic anxiety disorder, called panic disorder. Discuss the symptoms of a severe panic attack with your doctor to ensure you receive appropriate treatment and care.
Heart Rate Abnormalities
A panic attack can induce a flight-or-fight response within your body, causing the release of a variety of stimulatory chemicals throughout your blood. When this occurs, your heart muscle can be overstimulated, which can cause it to begin to beat abnormally fast. An increased heart rate may lead to the development of additional symptoms, including headache or dizziness.
Breathing Difficulties
The reaction induced by a severe panic attack can lead to an increase in your normal breathing rate. This occurs because your body believes you are in need of extra oxygen and energy to escape physical danger. As a result, you can begin to breathe faster than necessary, leading to a condition called hyperventilation. A severe panic attack also can cause breathing difficulties, such as shortness of breath.
Headache or Dizziness
When you have a severe panic attack, your body believes you are in imminent physical danger. Health professionals at the Better Health Channel, an Australian government website that provides health information, explain that the body then releases chemicals that stimulate your central nervous system, such as adrenaline, which increase nerve signaling within your brain. These panic signals, in combination with changes in your heart and breathing rates, can lead to symptoms of headache, dizziness or light-headedness. These symptoms of a severe panic attack can cause you to feel unstable when you attempt to stand or walk and can occur in conjunction with abnormal muscle trembling or shaking.
Stomach Upset
If you are having a severe panic attack, you can experience symptoms of stomach upset. These symptoms can include nausea or abdominal cramping and may be accompanied by a sensation of dryness or tightness within your mouth or throat, which can cause difficulty swallowing.
Mood or Behavioral Changes
You also may experience a number of mood or behavioral changes. You can feel irrationally anxious or may fear for your physical safety, despite the lack of any immediate danger. A severe panic attack can cause you to experience a sense of doom or detachment from your surroundings. You may develop a fear of your impending death, doctors at the Mayo Clinic warn, or you can begin feel as though you are losing complete control. These mood and behavioral changes experienced during a severe panic attack can be frightening--for both you and those around you.
Chills or Sweating
A severe panic attack can cause your body to become abnormally hot or cold, which can contribute to symptoms of excessive sweating or chills. Your hands may feel damp or clammy and can begin to shake uncontrollably. These sensations typically occur in conjunction with heart- or lung-related symptoms of a severe panic attack.
