- Pounding or racing heart
- Shortness of breath or hyperventilation
- Chest pain and discomfort
- Fear of dying / feeling loss of control or safety
- Nausea or abdominal pain
- Dizzy or faint
- Sweating
- Numbness or tingling sensations
- Hot flushes or chills
- Trembling or shaking
- Feeling of choking
Panic attacks are more common than most people think. Unfortunately, it is not widely discussed and spotlighted, especially in Malaysia.
Contrary to stigmatising beliefs, panic attacks are not an overreaction. People are not being dramatic to attract attention. They genuinely cannot control these attacks.
Panic attacks often follow an unexpected and intense wave of fear and anxiety. Sometimes there are known triggers that bring about an attack such as stress or phobias, and other times, they happen out of the blue with no clear trigger. Essentially, the body goes into ‘fight or flight’ mode, even though there is no real danger or threat. These attacks can feel different for every individual who experiences them and can last from around 10 minutes to an hour.
Here is an array of symptoms that have been recorded: