Panic attack is said to be one of the most intensely frightening, upsetting and uncomfortable experiences of a person's life. Panic attack is only likely to happen if triggered by an anxiety-provoking event. A panic attack can come on very suddenly and have no obvious triggers. Although a panic attack episode may appear at random, they come from our evolutionary response to danger.

The American Psychological Association says the symptoms of a panic attack generally last for about 30 minutes, although the attack itself may only be 15 seconds long. Some panic attack can last for much longer, even hours. People who have experienced a panic attack often say afterwards that they felt trapped. Experts say that anxiety and panic, to a certain extent, are a necessary part of our survival. However, when levels become so high that they undermine our thought processes, we naturally become afraid of them.

Panic attack is a perfectly natural bodily mechanism 'going off' inappropriately. People often experience their first one at a time of high stress, or perhaps in conjunction with hormonal changes within the body. If you are thinking "am i going mad?", it's a pretty good indicator you are not. In some individuals they appear without apparent cause and most often the distressed individual reports loosing control of oneself. Often they are provoked or triggered by a sense of trying to escape from someone or from the place where the attack started.

If you experience symptoms such as rapid heart rate, sweats, hyperventilation, chills, hot flashes and chest pain then the chances are pretty good you are experiencing an attack. Not to mention dizziness, trembling, tightness in the throat area and a real sense that you are going to die. In the US alone, the number of emergency patients who check in convinced they are having a heart attack and upon diagnosis are told everything is okay is staggering.

What is the cause? Apart from some possible reasons mentioned earlier, it's still a baffling mystery for researchers. There isn't a magic pill prescribed that will prevent it from happening again. Panic attack is a sudden surge of overwhelming fear that comes without warning and without any obvious reason. It is far more intense than the feeling of being 'stressed out' that most people experience.

Symptoms of a panic attack include: Difficulty breathing, feeling as though you 'can't get enough air'. Terror that is almost paralyzing. Dizziness, lightheadedness or nausea. Tingling in fingers or toes ('pins and needles'). Fear that you're going to go crazy or are about to die. You probably recognize this as the classic 'flight or fight' response that human beings experience when we are in a situation of danger. But during a panic attack, these symptoms seem to rise from out of nowhere. They occur in seemingly harmless situations, they can even happen while you are asleep.

Here are some of the things that you can do that will help you get rid of panic attacks. If you're one big coach potato, do something about it. Do some exercises or any type of sports to get you on a different kind of adrenalin pattern. A bout of a panic attack makes your heart palpitate and blood rush in your head. An attack is all about a release of adrenalin for a fight or flight mode. A panic attack is a physiological thing at the onset. Exercising could actually burn the excess adrenalin. So once it hits, go for a focused quick walk, jump in place, wiggle, jiggle, whatever it is you do, burn energy. For more information, click here.