It can start with a racing heart, feeling weak or faint then move on to a sense of terror that is so crippling that you begin to feel chest pains and problems ...

A panic attack is an abrupt change in mental state. They are usually unexpected, sometimes with or without identifiable triggers. Symptoms of a panic attack vary from person to person, but among the ...

I think there is a misapprehension that those of us in the mental-health field who write self-help books do so from a clinical distance and without personal experience with the content that we present ...

Let’s get one thing straight: A panic attack is not you “going crazy.” And it’s certainly not just “overreacting.” It’s a full-blown physiological ambush. One moment, you’re fine. Next, your heart’s ...

Clinical psychologist Dr. Julie Smith advises against common reactions during panic attacks that can worsen the condition. She suggests avoiding the urge to escape immediately, as it reinforces fear.

Melanie Luxenberg once had a panic attack at work after a colleague made a snarky comment towards her. The 33-year-old law clerk from Thornhill, Ont., says the colleague was once a former friend, and ...

The stress of everyday life, from paying the bills to keeping up with your friends and family, can sometimes become overwhelming, even for the toughest of people, and maybe especially for people too ...

Last winter, I had a driver come into my clinic complaining of shortness of breath, rapid heart rate and chest pain. He reported it started about an hour before, when he was driving in heavy traffic ...