Why Do I Feel Like I’m Dying? Understanding The Signs Of A Panic Attack

"What if it happens again?"

Your heart starts racing. 

Your chest feels tight. 

You can’t seem to catch your breath. 

You feel dizzy, shaky, hot, nauseous, or suddenly disconnected from what’s happening around you. 

And then comes the fear… 

"Am I having a heart attack?" 

"Am I losing my mind?" 

"Why can't I just calm myself down?"

When panic hits, it doesn’t feel like “just anxiety”. It can feel like something is seriously wrong. 

What Does A Panic Attack Feel Like? 

A panic attack is a sudden, intense surge of fear or discomfort that triggers your body's natural fight-or-flight response, even when there is no immediate danger in your environment.

These can include a racing or pounding heart, sweating or shaking, shortness of break or feeling like you can’t get enough air, dizziness or lightheadedness, nausea, tingling or numbness, chest discomfort, or a strong fear that you’re going to lose control or even die. 

Not everyone experiences panic in the exact same way and you don’t need to experience every symptom for it to feel frightening. 

Sometimes the most difficult part isn’t even the attack itself, it’s what happens afterward. 

What If It Happens Again?

Once you’ve experienced a panic attack, you may become intensely aware of every sensation in your body. 

Your heart beats a little faster after climbing the stairs.

“Is it starting again?” 

You feel lightheaded in a crowded room.

“What if I can’t get out?”

You’re driving and suddenly remember what happened last time. 

“What if it happens here?”

Without realizing it, you can start monitoring your body for warning signs and avoiding situations where having another panic attack feels especially frightening or embarrassing. 

Your world can gradually become smaller, and not because those places are dangerous, but because you’re afraid of experiencing panic while you’re there. And that fear can become part of the cycle.  

Why Do Panic Attacks Happen? 

There isn’t one explanation that applies to everyone. Panic attacks can occur during periods of significant stress or anxiety, but they can also seem to happen unexpectedly. What can make the experience particularly frightening is the way physical sensations and fearful thoughts can feed each other. 

You notice your heart racing. Your mind interprets it as danger. That thought creates more fear. Your body responds to the fear. The sensations become stronger. And suddenly you’re caught in a cycle where the fear of what’s happening can intensify what’s already happening. Understanding the pattern can be an important part of learning how to respond differently.

What Can Help During A Panic Attack? 

Trying to force yourself to “calm down” isn’t always helpful. Instead, it can be useful to begin recognizing what is happening, bring your attention back to the present moment, and allow the sensations to rise and fall without adding another layer of fear to them. 

Grounding and breathing strategies may also be helpful for some people. Over time, therapy can help you become less afraid of the sensations themselves and understand the thoughts, triggers, behaviours and avoidance patterns that may be keeping the cycle going.

How Therapy Can Help With Panic Attacks 

This is often the work we do in therapy. Together, we explore what happens before, during and after panic. 

What sensations frighten you most?

What do you tell yourself when they begin? 

What situations have you started avoiding? 

How much of your life is now being organized around preventing another attack? 

We build new ways of exploring the world around us and actual strategies to help you move through your days by responding to panic when it appears and challenging the thoughts that intensify it. 

Because the goal isn't to live a life completely free of stress. The goal is to trust and train your mind and body enough to lessen the anxiety, know that you are safe, and remember that the wave will always pass.

If panic attacks or the fear of having another one are beginning to affect your everday life, therapy can be a place to start making sense of what’s happening. 

If panic attacks, or the fear of having another one, are starting to become a part of your every day life, therapy can help you understand the cycle of panic, and feel safer in your body. If you’re ready to start moving through your life with more confidence, book your free 20 minute consultation. https://newrisetherapy.com/contact