Anxiety & Panic Disorders Health Center
Get News Updates | RSS Help
latest headlines
Cortisol May Help Reduce Some Phobias
An extra dose of the stress hormone cortisol may help reduce stress-inducing phobias like the fear of heights, a study shows.
WebMD Anxiety and Panic Disorders Community
Community. Experts. Support.
Expert Blogs
Top Search Terms for Anxiety & Panic Disorders
Panic Attack Symptoms
Panic Attack Symptoms
Panic attacks are sudden feelings of terror that strike without warning. These episodes can occur at any time, even during sleep. A person experiencing a panic attack may believe that he or she is having a heart attack or that death is imminent. The fear and terror that a person experiences during a panic attack are not in proportion to the true situation and may be unrelated to what is happening around them. Most people with panic attacks experience several of the following symptoms:
- "Racing" heart
- Feeling weak, faint, or dizzy
- Tingling or numbness in the hands and fingers
- Sense of terror, of impending doom or death
- Feeling sweaty or having chills
- Chest pains
- Breathing difficulties
- Feeling a loss of control