The description of "Anxiety and panic attacks" is when sudden onset of feelings of fear accompanied by physical and psychological signs and symptoms and a fear of serious consequences, such as a heart attack set in. Frequency of anxiety and panic attacks varies from several per month, to a few per day.

It is considered that, to diagnose the disorders of anxiety and panic attacks there must be a distinct period of intense fear or discomfort in which four or more of the following symptoms occur suddenly and reach maximum intensity in a period of up to 10 minutes:

- palpitations, fast heart beat or rapid pulse;
- sweating;
- tremors or trembling of whole body;
- sensation of shortness of breath or choking;
- feeling of being crushed;
- chest pain or discomfort;
- nausea or abdominal discomfort;
- feeling dizzy, instability or fainting;
- depersonalisation;
- fear of losing control or that you are going crazy;
- fear of death;
- paresthesia (numbness or tingling);
- cold or heat waves.

 

Approximately 7-28% of the population had such symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks (WHO, 2000), but when they interfere with daily activities,  anxiety and panic attacks  become a clinical problem and is necessary for psychological intervention.

The first anxiety and panic attacks suffered usually feel the most intense, and cause structure of negative expectations such as the feeling of losing complete control or the feeling that something bad will happen such as you dying.

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