Panic
What is a “Panic Attack”?
Everyone knows what panic is, and it is common to feel panicky from time to time.
- You get the sense that you are being followed on your way home from a party, late at night
- You discover you have had your wallet stolen
- You are sitting an exam. You look at the paper and realise you don’t know the answers to any of the questions
- Someone runs in front of your car and you almost hit them
It would be normal in any of these situations to feel a sense of panic. The feeling would be understandable and would pass fairly quickly.
A panic attack is a bit like “normal” panic, but different in a number of ways. The feelings seem to come “out of the blue” and are not usually related to the sort of frightening situation described above. The feelings are also lot stronger. As the feelings are unexpected and strong they can feel extremely frightening.
Panic attacks affect people in many different ways, but there is usually a frightening feeling that something really awful is about to happen.
The Truth…
The truth is this: nothing awful is going to happen as panic attacks are not dangerous!
Lots of people have panic attacks, although they can affect people in different ways. Some people have only one, others may have them for many years. Some people have them every day, some people only once in a while.
If you were to ask all of your friends if they had ever had a panic attack, it is very likely that at least one or two will have had the same experience. They are quite common and are not a sign of serious mental or physical illness.
Panic (PDF, 297KB)
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