Panic disorder
Panic disorder
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Fear is a very useful emotion. It triggers our 'fight or flight' reaction, which allows us to react well to certain kinds of stressful situations. All people normally experience fear and anxiety in new or challenging situations.
However, people sometimes experience sensations of fear without any apparent reason. A sudden, unexpected wave of intense fear and discomfort is known as a 'panic attack'. Panic attacks can appear quickly, peak within about 10 minutes and last about 30 minutes on average[1][2]. They can happen at any time, including during sleep.
Having a panic attack does not mean you have panic disorder. Panic attacks are relatively common; 3-5% of all people will experience a panic attack in their lifetime[3]. However, if you experience repeated panic attacks and you often worry about having another, you may have panic disorder. Panic disorder is diagnosed when panic attacks happen regularly, cause