7 important facts to know about panic attacks

Your heart is racing, your palms are sweaty, and you’re breathing so hard you can’t speak. Are you having a panic attack? “A panic attack is a distinct period of intense fear and discomfort,” says Kevin Chapman, Ph.D., licensed clinical psychologist and founder and director of the Kentucky Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders, in Louisville.  

Though you can experience panic for seemingly understandable reasons — you nearly get hit by a car, for instance — panic attacks can feel as if they come out of nowhere, according to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America.  

But know this: Panic attacks can be treated. We’ll get into that here, along with six other facts to help you better understand panic attacks. 

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1. More women than men experience panic attacks.

Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder. It’s estimated that 2.7 percent of adults in the United States have panic disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) — and it affects more than twice as many women as men.

2. Having a panic attack doesn’t mean you have panic disorder.

A panic attack is the term for a single episode of panic. Panic disorder involves frequent panic attacks, according to the National Library of Medicine. People with panic disorder might have episodes multiple times per week, or even every day. They often say that “panic has taken over their lives,” says Dr. Chapman.

3. Panic attacks can make you feel like you’re losing control.

Common symptoms of panic attacks include a pounding or racing heart, sweating, chills, difficulty breathing, dizziness, tingly or numb hands, chest pain, and nausea, says the NIMH. As you’re experiencing a panic attack, these symptoms can feel unbearable.

4. You can’t always tell when someone is having a panic attack.

It’s a misconception that someone having a panic attack will show obvious symptoms, such as clutching their chest and hyperventilating. Instead, you may not even know that someone is having one. In fact, Dr. Chapman says that patients will sometimes have a panic attack in a treatment session — and he can’t see that it’s happening.

5. You may not know what triggers your panic attacks.

Many patients tell Dr. Chapman that panic attacks happen out of the blue. “They’ll say that they’re just sitting on their couch, watching TV, and — boom — they suddenly feel like they’re dying, having a heart attack, or about to pass out,” he explains.

However, part of treatment is learning your triggers, so that they don’t feel so unexpected, he says. Triggers might include things that cause physical arousal (such as caffeine or vigorous exercise), as well as certain thought patterns. For example, even the thought of having a panic attack in certain places or situations can turn into real fear that can then launch into panic.

6. Treatment can include medication and exposure therapy.

You typically won’t rely on medication alone, but it can be an important part of therapy. Effective treatments may potentially include medication (such as anti-anxiety drugs, beta-blockers, or antidepressants) as well as psychotherapy. The type of psychotherapy used for panic attacks is called cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. It focuses on reframing your thoughts and changing patterns of behavior to more effectively cope with your panic.

Another critical piece of treatment is exposure therapy. According to the American Psychological Association, this involves confronting your fears in a safe way. When you’re with your therapist, you may purposefully trigger a panic attack. You’ll practice relaxation skills that can help you ride out the attack.

This includes learning how to effectively react to the physical sensations of panic, and teaching your brain to stop responding to them, says Dr. Chapman. Over time, these exposures also can help lessen your fear of having a panic attack.

7. You won’t deal with panic forever.

It's difficult living with panic attacks. But they can be overcome. With the right treatment program, “you can eliminate panic attacks completely,” Dr. Chapman says.