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If you or anyone you know suffers from panic attacks, you know that the episodes can be terrifying and exhausting. Though panic attacks aren’t life-threatening, they can significantly impact quality of life; the good news is that treatment for panic attacks is available and can be very effective. What is a Panic Attack? Panic attacks are sudden, unexpected surges of intense fear during which several physical and psychological symptoms are present. Panic attacks are brief, lasting less than ten minutes, and they can occur without warning in a variety of circumstances – while you’re asleep, out shopping at the mall, while driving, or in the middle of a meeting. Some of the symptoms of a panic attack can linger longer than ten minutes, and people who experience one panic attack are at greater risk for having subsequent panic attacks. Panic disorder is when someone experiences recurrent panic attack episodes that are unexpected and aren’t triggered by specific phobias or circumstances. Panic disorder is common and affects about six million adults in the US. Panic attacks and the symptoms of panic disorder often start in the late teen years or early adulthood, and women are twice as likely as men to be affected. While it is not clear what causes panic attacks and panic disorder, the risk of having panic attacks or developing a panic disorder may be increased by: traumatizing events, such as a major accident or an assault a history of childhood abuse, whether sexual or physical big life changes such as a new child, starting a new job or divorce life stressors such as the illness or death of a loved one a family history of panic attacks or panic disorder The physical and psychological reactions during a panic attack occur when there is no real danger [...]