DEFINITION:
The phrase “panic attack” refers to a sudden episode of intense feelings of fear, along with accompanying physical symptoms.
The physical symptoms that sometimes accompany a panic attack may include sweating, tachycardia, chest discomfort, numbness, shortness of breath, dizziness, trembling, and feelings of confusion, impending doom, or loss of control.
While panic attacks can be quite frightening for patients, they are not physically dangerous.
ETYMOLOGY:
The phrase “panic attack” was introduced into the medical literature by Donald F. Klein (1928–2018) in a series of papers published during the late 1950s and early 1960s reporting his studies of the effects on anxiety of the drug imipramine.
The English noun “panic” is attested from the seventeenth century. It derives from the French noun panique, which, in turn, derives from the ancient Greek adjective panikos, meaning “of or relating to the god Pan,” who was supposed to induce a mental state of fear.
The English noun “attack” is attested from the seventeenth century. The allied verb, “to attack,” derives from the Middle French verb attaquer, meaning “to attack.” Attaquer, in turn, derives from the Old Italian noun, stacca, meaning a “stake,” presumably via an unattested Old Italian verb, estaccare, meaning “to attach.” Stacca, in turn, is of Germanic origin, and is akin to the Old English noun, staca, meaning a “stake.”
DISCUSSION:
Panic attacks are relatively brief but very intense. The symptoms typically peak within ten minutes of onset and may last for around half an hour. However, the duration may vary from seconds to hours.
Panic attacks tend to recur with increasing frequency over time. However, they are usually tied to specific events and circumstances in the patient’s life—such as medical and financial problems, relationship difficulties, substance abuse, and, especially, social situations—and to that extent may vary in frequency.
Panic attacks are associated with several different types of mental illnesses, including anxiety, depression, borderline personality disorder (BPD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). When panic attacks are themselves the main presenting symptom, the patient may be diagnosed with a “panic disorder.”
Panic attacks often begin during puberty or early adulthood. They are more common in females than in males.
There is evidence that panic attacks—like many pathological mental conditions—have a strong cultural component. For example, the proportion of the population that experiences at least one panic attack per year is almost four times greater in the US than in Europe.