What does it feel like when you have a panic attack?

Many people feel like they are having a heart attack, when they first have a panic attack. Their breathing becomes rapid and labored, which makes them feel light-headed; their heart is racing and beating so hard they can feel it; and there is a terrible feeling of Danger! The body is signaling that it feels like it is in danger. That is a very difficult feeling to ignore, or even process, when there is no external indication of threat. So, many people end up in Urgent Care or even the Emergency Room for Panic Attacks. I have heard that experienced ER Docs ask one question of all the people reporting heart attacks: Are you feeling fearful, or terrified ? If the answer is yes, it is most likely a panic attack, since people with heart attacks rarely give that response.

Everyone experiences panic attacks differently, so how I experience them might not be how you experience them. Typically, for me, a panic attack starts by a string feeling of butterflies in my stomach and a tight chest(how I feel anxiety). Then, it grows until it is the only thing I think about before the world grows our of focus(mentally, not physically) and I am somewhere else- in the place of whatever fear triggered the panic attack. I breathe fast and hyperventilate a little, and I feel like I can’t escape whatever the fear is, like it’s happening in that moment but my anxiety is infinitely multiplied. It can take a while to get through one, depending on what coping strategies work and their effectiveness. However, this is only how I experience them, and as I mentioned, everyone experiences panic attacks differently, so my symptoms and signals may not be yours.

It feels like you can’t breathe, you get dizzy and need to sit down, it’s like all the blood is rushing to your brain. Sometimes you get a headache. You can get nauseous or feel out of touch with reality and be only focusing on the thing that caused the panic attack. You might feel like you are not in touch with reality for a moment. For me, my jaw always clenches and my nails digging into my sides because I curl up into a ball. Some people cry while others do not- either one is okay. It’s hard to get through it.

My heart starts beating fast, I felt like i couldn't breathe, I started to panic and I wanted to cry each time it happened. You want to get out of whatever room your in and want to be alone and calm yourself down. I lost of how much time passed when I was panicking, I got sweaty everywhere. I didn't want anyone to know because i was scared. It's terrifying to know that I had no control over when it happens. Whenever it does, it scares me and when its over, i wish it would never happen again but it is always on the back of my mind.

A lot of things can happen during a panic attack. Each person is different, so their symptoms could vary. You can feel sweaty, shaky, or dizzy. You could possibly feel disoriented from reality, like an out of body experience or have hot or cold flashes. You may also hyperventilate, or have really shaky breaths (also adding to the dizziness). When I have panic attacks, I tend to feel overly energetic and absolutely exhausted at the same time. It’s quite common to have stomach issues like nausea or pain during a panic attack as well. There are many symptoms, but what shows is determined by the person having the attack.