Signs of a Panic Attack

This video explores the experience of having a panic attack, detailing the physical and emotional symptoms that accompany it. It also discusses the impact of panic attacks on daily life and the importance of seeking treatment to manage panic disorder and agoraphobia.

This transcript was provided to facilitate communication amongst the audience. Now, I'm scared every day. What if it happens again? These are the voices of people who've had panic attacks. Once a person has even a single panic attack, the worst part can be the intense fear that it will happen again. I know. I've lived with that fear. My first panic attack happened on a day when things were going fine. I was with my friend from work. We were driving home in rush hour traffic. It was busy, like always. I was talking to my friend while she drove, and she was focusing on the road. All of a sudden, I couldn't breathe. My chest was tight, my palms started sweating, and my heart pounded faster. It was rising, like it was in my throat or ears. I looked at my friend, and the car seemed to get smaller around us. I was positive I was dying right then and there. And I don't want to die. I was so scared, and she could tell. She asked if I was okay, and I shook my head no. I couldn't speak. She pulled over and called 911. After lots of tests, doctors in the ER told me my heart was fine. They said I was having a panic attack and that they're pretty common. They gave me ideas about how to get help. The reason for a panic attack is sometimes clear and sometimes a mystery. Panic attacks are a group of physical and mental health symptoms that happen all at once. Because of the intense physical sensations and anxiety, people can feel like they're dying. Some symptoms are a pounding heart, trouble breathing, chest pain, feeling tingly or lightheaded, and tunnel or blurred vision. People also feel terror, like something really awful is about to happen. For me, that moment in the car was like any other day until it happened. Either way, because a panic attack is so scary, once people have one, they're often afraid it will happen again. As a result, people change the things they do, the way they interact with others, their activities, and even how much they go to work or school. This collection of symptoms is known as panic disorder. Sometimes this becomes so serious that people stop leaving their houses to avoid places or situations where an attack might happen. This is called agoraphobia. But treatment really helped me, and treatment is available. I found a great therapist who knew what to do. For me, with a combination of medicine and therapy, I learned to live with the fear of future panic attacks and know what to do if one starts to happen.