How do I know if I'm having a panic attack?
Part of Trauma Symptoms cluster.
Deeper dive: how do you calm down after a trigger
Short Answer
Panic attacks are intense surges of fear that peak within minutes. Symptoms include rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, and feeling of losing control. They are terrifying but not dangerous.
What This Means
A panic attack feels like sudden, overwhelming dread accompanied by physical symptoms: racing heart, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, sweating, trembling, dizziness, nausea, or feeling unreal. You might think you are dying, having a heart attack, or going crazy. The fear peaks within minutes and then slowly subsides. Aftermath often includes exhaustion and lingering anxiety. Panic attacks are often trauma-related—your nervous system firing false alarms.
Why This Happens
Panic attacks happen when your sympathetic nervous system activates without actual threat. Trauma lowers the threshold for alarm. Your body interprets normal sensations—heart rate increase from caffeine, shortness of breath from stress—as danger signals. The amygdala overreacts. This is not conscious. Your nervous system is trying to protect you, but it is stuck in overdrive. Panic is a misfired alarm.
What Can Help
- Recognize it is panic: Knowing 'this is a panic attack' reduces catastrophic thinking.
- Remember it will pass: Attacks peak and subside. You will not die. You will not go crazy.
- Breathe slowly: Inhale 4 counts, hold, exhale 6. Repeat. Slow breathing calms the system.
- Ground yourself: Name five things you see, four you hear, three you feel.
- Seek professional help: Recurring panic is treatable. You do not need to suffer.
When to Seek Support
If panic attacks are frequent or affecting your life, seek help. Therapy (CBT, exposure work), medication, and somatic approaches can all help recalibrate your alarm system.
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Research References
Van der Kolk (2014), Porges (2011), Felitti et al (1998)
Robert Greene
Author, Founder, Navy Veteran