Panic attacks are a form of panic disorder that can be very disabling. The sufferers experience sudden episodes of intense fear, anxiety and terror. This episodes can strike at any time and any place, usually with no warning. They can last from a few minutes to several hours.

Panic attacks are very common. They affect approximately 2.7 percent of the adult Americans (6 million people). They are twice as common in women as in men. They can appear at any age, but typically develop in early adulthood.

Causes of panic attacks are not completely known, but could be many - biological, psychological, environmental, or the combination of the above. They may be caused by an imbalance of brain chemicals, stress, genetic predisposition, depression, life events and so on.

Panic in itself is nothing abnormal. It's a perfectly natural and normal physical response to suspected danger, a part of a so called "fight or flight" response. But when this response happens in a non-threatening scenarios and becomes an uncontrollable part of everyday life, we say it's a panic disorder.

Panic attacks are associated with many physical and emotional symptoms. The most common are chest pain, shortness of breath, hearth palpitations, sweating, shaking, dizziness, muscle pains, tingling, nausea, intense terror and anxiety, fear of going crazy, fear of losing control and fear of dying.

Symptoms frequently occur very suddenly and without any warning. Because of chest pains and heart palpitations, many people who experience panic attack for the first time, mistake it for a heart attack. However, panic attacks are not dangerous, they can be terrifying, but they are not harmful.

In most cases, panic disorders can be successfully managed, if not cured. They should not go untreated or ignored. There are various treatment options and coping techniques available and it's important to explore which one works best for you.