Everyone experiences feelings of anxiety and panic during their lifetime. It is
a perfectly natural response, particularly when you are in a dangerous or stressful
situation.

However, for people with panic disorder, feelings of anxiety, stress and panic
can occur at any time, usually for no obvious reason. Medical treatment or panic
attacks self help advice is often needed.

Anxiety conditions
There are several conditions where anxiety is one of the main symptoms. Phobias,
generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) and post-traumatic stress disorder can all
cause severe anxiety.

Panic attacks
A panic attack is when your body experiences a rush of intense psychological
(mental) and physical symptoms.

You may feel an overwhelming sense of fear, apprehension and anxiety. As well
as these feelings, you may also experience physical symptoms, such as nausea,
sweating, trembling and a sensation that your heart is beating irregularly (palpitations).

A panic attack can be very frightening and intense, but it is not dangerous.
It will not cause you any physical harm.

How common is panic disorder?
At least one person in 10 experiences occasional panic attacks, which are usually
triggered by a stressful event or situation. However, people with panic disorder
have recurring and regular attacks, often for no apparent reason.

The number of panic attacks that you have will depend on the severity of your
condition. Some people may have one or two attacks each month, while others
may have several attacks a week.

Because panic disorder is a very unpredictable condition it leaves affected
people feeling constantly anxious and concerned about when their next attack
will be. And due to the unpredictability of the disorder, panic attacks self
help information can be a real lifeline.