Anxiety Attack Symptoms: 14 Physical and Psychological Signs to Recognize

Anxiety (panic) attacks are discrete episodes of intense fear with ≥4 of the following, peaking within minutes:

1. Palpitations/pounding heart
2. Sweating
3. Trembling/shaking
4. Shortness of breath/smothering
5. Feeling of choking
6. Chest pain/discomfort
7. Nausea/abdominal distress
8. Dizziness/lightheadedness/faint
9. Chills/heat sensations
10. Paresthesias (numbness/tingling)
11. Derealization/depersonalization
12. Fear of losing control/"going crazy"
13. Fear of dying
14. Difficulty concentrating/mind going blank

Attacks can be unexpected (uncued) or situationally bound. Panic Disorder requires recurrent unexpected attacks + ≥1 month persistent worry or behavioral change.

Management

• CBT (gold standard psychotherapy).
• SSRIs/SNRIs (first-line pharmacotherapy).
• Benzodiazepines – short-term only (dependence risk).
• Breathing retraining, interoceptive exposure.