You may genuinely believe you're having a heart attack or stroke, losing your mind, or on the verge of death. Attacks can occur any time, even during nondream sleep. While most attacks average a couple of minutes, occasionally they can go on for up to 10 minutes. In rare cases, they may last an hour or more. You may genuinely believe you're having a heart attack, losing your mind, or on the verge of death.
Attacks can occur any time, even during nondream sleep. .
Panic disorder strikes between 3 and 6 million Americans, and is twice as common in women as in men. It can appear at any age in children or in the elderly but most often it begins in young adults. Not everyone who experiences panic attacks will develop panic disorder for example, many people have one attack but never have another. For those who do have panic disorder, though, it's important to seek treatment. Untreated, the disorder can become very disabling.