Are Panic Attacks Dangerous?

A panic attack can feel dangerous, but the attack itself is not usually dangerous. The frightening part is how convincing the physical symptoms can be.

Your heart may suddenly pound, your chest can feel tight, your breathing may change and you might feel dizzy or strangely detached from what is happening around you. It is easy to think, “Something is seriously wrong with me.” That fear can then make everything feel even worse.

A panic attack is essentially an extremely strong alarm response. Your body has reacted as though you are facing a threat, even when there is no immediate danger. Adrenaline starts circulating, your heart beats faster and your muscles tense. Your breathing may become quicker and you become much more aware of what is happening inside your body.

It can be an incredibly uncomfortable experience. It does not, however, mean that your body is being damaged.

 

 

What Does A Panic Attack Feel Like?

 

There is no single way to experience a panic attack. Some people notice their heart first. For someone else, it might be a feeling that they cannot get enough air. Others suddenly feel dizzy or develop an overwhelming sense that they need to get out of wherever they are.

You might experience:

• A racing, pounding or irregular feeling in your heartbeat
• Tightness or discomfort in your chest
• Breathlessness or rapid breathing
• Shaking or trembling
• Sweating
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Tingling in your hands, arms, feet or face
• Nausea or an unsettled stomach
• Feeling disconnected from your surroundings
• A sudden fear of losing control
• A fear that you might faint, die or become seriously unwell

The mind can also become extremely focused on these sensations. A small change in your heartbeat may suddenly seem enormous. A feeling of dizziness can become proof in your mind that you are about to collapse. The more frightened you become, the more intensely you may notice the symptoms.

 

Why Can Panic Feel So Dangerous?

 

The body’s fight or flight system is designed to keep us safe. When your brain believes there is a threat, it does not stop to calmly consider whether that threat is real. It prepares you to respond.

Your heart speeds up. Your breathing changes. Your muscles become tense. Your attention narrows.

This is useful when you genuinely need to react quickly. During a panic attack, however, the alarm can be triggered without an immediate physical threat.

That is why panic can be so confusing. You may be sitting at home, driving to work or having dinner with friends, yet your body suddenly behaves as though you are in serious danger.

And once you notice those physical sensations, your thoughts can add another layer of fear. This may include:

• “My heart is racing.”
• “What if I faint?”
• “What if I cannot breathe?”
• “What if this does not stop?”

Those thoughts can feed the alarm system and make the attack feel even more intense.

 

Can A Panic Attack Cause A Heart Attack?

 

A panic attack does not cause a heart attack. However, some panic symptoms can resemble symptoms associated with other medical problems, particularly chest discomfort, breathlessness and a rapid heartbeat.

This is particularly important if you have never experienced these symptoms before. It is not sensible to assume that every episode of chest pain or breathlessness is anxiety. If something feels medically concerning, seek appropriate medical advice.

Once physical causes have been considered, understanding the anxiety itself can be an important part of moving forward.

 

How Long Does A Panic Attack Last?

 

One of the strange things about panic is that time can feel completely different while you are experiencing it. When your heart is racing and you are convinced something is wrong, even a few minutes can feel endless. The intensity usually rises quickly and then begins to come down, although you may continue feeling unsettled for some time afterwards.

You might feel tired, shaky or emotionally drained. You may also find yourself replaying what happened and wondering why it happened in the first place.

 

What Should You Do If You Have A Panic Attack?

 

Try not to fight every sensation. That can be difficult advice to follow when your body is screaming at you that something is wrong, but struggling against the feelings can sometimes increase your focus on them.

Instead, try to slow your breathing and bring your attention towards what is happening around you. Notice the chair beneath you, the floor beneath your feet or the sounds in the room. Remind yourself that the physical sensations are part of the alarm response and that they will begin to settle.

Most importantly, try not to interpret every sensation as evidence of danger. A pounding heart does not automatically mean something is wrong with your heart. Feeling dizzy does not necessarily mean you are going to faint. Feeling detached does not mean that you are losing your mind.

Understanding what is happening can take away some of the fear surrounding the symptoms.

 

When Should You Speak To A Psychologist?

 

You do not need to have panic attacks every day before they become worth talking about.

Perhaps you have only experienced a few, but you now think about them constantly. Perhaps you have stopped travelling because you are scared of having an attack on a plane. Maybe you always sit near the door in restaurants, avoid driving alone or need someone with you whenever you leave home.

These changes can be easy to dismiss because they may seem like sensible precautions. But if fear is gradually deciding where you go, what you do and who you feel comfortable being around, it deserves attention.

A psychologist can help you understand the cycle behind panic and work with you on ways to break it. Cognitive behavioural therapy can be useful for this because it looks at the connection between your thoughts, physical sensations and behaviour.

 

 

How Can Connect Psychology Help With Panic Attacks In Dubai?

 

At Connect Psychology, panic attacks are approached as more than a collection of uncomfortable physical symptoms. Understanding what is happening in your body is important, but it is also useful to look at what may be keeping the fear going.

Therapy can help you recognise the thoughts that appear when panic begins, understand why particular situations may have become frightening and gradually feel more comfortable with sensations that you may previously have tried to avoid.

Connect Psychology provides psychological support in Dubai at Fortune Executive Tower in Jumeirah Lake Towers, as well as through telephone and online sessions.

If panic has started influencing the way you live your life, there is no reason to simply put up with it. Panic attacks may feel frightening, but understanding the pattern behind them can be the first step towards feeling less frightened by your own body’s alarm system.