Here's a
short lesson on panic attacks.
You have had a panic attack four (or more) of the
following symptoms developed abruptly and reached a peak within
10 minutes.
--Palpitations, and/or accelerated heart rate
--Dry heaving, and/or gagging
--Sweating
--Trembling or shaking
--Sensations of shortness of breath or being smothered
--Feeling of choking
--Chest pain or discomfort
--Nausea or abdominal distress
--Feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint
--De-realization (feelings of unreality) or derpersonalization
(being detached from oneself)
--Fear of losing control or going insane
--Sense of impending death
--Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations)
--Chills or hot flashes
A panic attack is not
--Being nervous for a test
--Freaking out because you embarrassed yourself
--Your heart skipping a beat because you failed a test or forgot
homework
--Feeling light headed before you perform
--Any other example of nervousness or embarrassment you can think
of
So, can we please stop throwing the term panic attack
around like it's some sort of cute thing to have, because it
isn't. Having a panic attack is terrifying, no matter how
many times you have one, and people who suffer from panic
disorder certianly don't see it as a cute and quirky
character trait.