Panic Attacks: What They Feel Like and When to Get Help
Updated: Oct 6
You can be sitting in traffic, standing in a grocery store, or lying in bed when your body suddenly feels out of control. Your heart races. You feel lightheaded. Something feels seriously wrong, even though you cannot explain what changed.
A panic attack can include intense fear along with symptoms such as shaking, sweating, nausea, tingling, chest discomfort, or difficulty breathing. The National Institute of Mental Health describes panic attacks as sudden episodes of fear or discomfort that can happen without a clear danger.
The experience deserves attention. The first step is figuring out what is happening, including whether the symptoms need medical evaluation.
When to seek medical care
Chest pain and breathing problems can have causes other than anxiety. Do not assume a new or unfamiliar episode is panic because a blog description sounds similar.
Call 911 for severe chest pain or pressure, severe difficulty breathing, fainting, or other signs of a medical emergency. MedlinePlus also advises immediate care for chest pain that persists or occurs with symptoms such as nausea, sweating, dizziness, or shortness of breath.
If the symptoms are less urgent but new, discuss them with a medical provider. A medical evaluation can help identify physical conditions or substance effects that may resemble panic.
A panic attack does not automatically mean panic disorder
One panic attack is not enough to establish panic disorder. That diagnosis involves recurrent, unexpected attacks together with persistent worry about another attack or changes in behavior because of that fear. A qualified clinician needs to assess the pattern.
An important question is what happens between episodes. Are you changing your routes, avoiding stores, checking your pulse repeatedly, or turning down activities because you are afraid it will happen again?
For more context on bodily anxiety symptoms, read Why Anxiety Feels So Physical.
What to do when a familiar panic response starts
If you have already been medically evaluated and recognize the episode as your usual panic response, follow the plan you developed with your clinician. Keep it simple enough to use when thinking clearly is difficult.
You might name what is happening, notice your feet on the floor, and describe several things you can see around you. If breathing exercises are part of your plan, use comfortable, gentle breaths rather than forcing large breaths or trying to get the exercise perfect.
You can also prepare a short reminder in advance: “This feels intense. I have a plan. I can take the next step.” The point is to give yourself something usable when fear is demanding all your attention.
These are possible coping tools, not a substitute for assessment or a guarantee that an episode will stop immediately.
When fear starts organizing your life
A useful thing to track is what panic is costing you. Write down the situation, what you noticed, how you responded, and what you avoided afterward. Bring that information to your appointment.
For example, “I had an episode on Tuesday” gives some information. “Since Tuesday, I have stopped driving alone and missed two appointments” tells your clinician much more about the impact.
If avoidance has become part of the pattern, How Avoidance Keeps Anxiety Going explains why temporary relief can make returning to an activity harder.
How counseling can help
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a research-supported treatment for panic disorder. Treatment can address interpretations of physical sensations, fear of another episode, and activities that have become difficult to approach. Medication may also be an option to discuss with a medical prescriber.
In counseling, I want us to understand the pattern and agree on a realistic plan. If panic is affecting work, driving, relationships, or everyday decisions, that is a reasonable place to begin.
For adults looking for anxiety counseling in El Paso, read about my Counseling Services and contact me through the website to ask about fit and availability.
Sources and further reading
If worry, avoidance, or tension is interfering with everyday life, adult individual counseling offers a place to discuss those patterns and your goals. View availability on Headway for virtual appointments, insurance information, and cost estimates, or read what to expect when starting therapy.
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