Whew this is a hard one to define but listed below is a basic outline of the physical and emotional feelings that is felt be people who have panic. PLEASE NOTE* Not all people have all of these symptoms and attacks can vary from mild anxious, to severe panic. Sweating Dizziness Extreme apprehension Faintness Jelly legs Rapid Breathing Racing Heartbeat Tightness in the throat and chest Blurred vision Confusion Feeling of unreality Feeling shaky Fear of losing control ,embarrassing themselves, or dying The list could go on. Also the fear of the panic attack itself. FEARS WITH PANIC Some of the things listed here may seem odd, but people who experience panic like to have control over themselves and if they feel trapped, or can't escape. Its a panic situation. Fear of.. Being away from home. Bright Lights, like in shops where the light is very bright and dazzling. Traffic and traffic jams Escalators and Lifts Showering, This is not because the person lacks good personal hygiene :) but because of the enclosed space and the 'trapped' feeling. Having your hair cut, once your in that chair you have to stay, you can't just leave with half a head of hair done:) Lifts Being Alone in the house People and crowds Queues Hot, sticky weather

What is a panic attack? Skip this section if you don't want to be reminded for those of you who feel too familiar with this.

A panic attack starts and different people have different reasons for this and symptoms. However what isn't different is the terror it leaves you with. If I go quickly through the best way I can what a panic attack feels like, perhaps you may have some idea. (Those of you who feel they need to try and understand for someone you know) Have you ever narrowly missed been hit by a car on the road? You suddenly realise the immense danger you are facing. The horn beeps and that car is coming straight at you! everything is in slow motion, your whole body just throws itself out of the way of the oncoming vehicle. You get to the pavement safely and the sensation of shock is there! Your heart is pounding, you sweat (perspire seems to tame a word for this feeling) feeling so very hot. Your body feels shocked to the core as though you have been struck by lightening!! Your senses are numbed and it takes a while for you to come back to reality. The outside world had been forgotten whilst the only thing you could focus on was the possibility of death, danger! Your legs feel like jelly literally. Then relief as you are safe. You look around you feeling very ashamed, embarrassed at what people saw. You try and carry on as normal to walk along the pavement but your body is still recovering from that immense shock. As your breathing returns to normal, your legs get strength back slowly. Then all you need is to be home and recover over a cup of tea, it takes a while to get that "shook up" feeling out of the way. A panic attack can hit just as fast and treacherous as the impending danger of the feeling your going to be hit by a car. The body and mind is feeling in danger, its no exaggeration to say it feels like you may die, or lose control. The same poundings of the heart are there, sweating, dizziness, feeling of unreality, numbing. As the body feels the danger the blood rushes to the muscles, which makes them feel like jelly, and confusion of what is going on around us. We feel we need to get to safety! And fast! Just like when a person gets to that pavement safely. Its a terror raging within and the fear of not being able to control these feelings. This is "flight or flight". These feelings of panic are a natural reaction. Our body has been equipped to deal with impending terror. The blood rushing to our muscles is to make our muscles stronger and run faster, It doesn't feel that way though! Its really frightening. I have heard it said that it was present and needed from prehistoric times when you crossed the path of a dinosaur and needed to get away quickly. Just like the car description. I've tried to put it in terms where it gives a general idea, but it is hard to explain, and for anyone to understand when they haven't been through panic attacks for themselves. And I certainly wouldn't like anyone to go through them just to understand.

I came across an excellent site, and in particular I recommend the page "What You Fear Most Cannot Happen". This site is The Anxiety Network