Panic attacks are scary to experience and scary to observe. Far more extreme than feeling “panicky,” a real panic attack is when someone experiences sudden, intense physical symptoms — racing heart, sweating, shaking, dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea.
The individual interprets these symptoms to mean something is terribly wrong. People often believe they’re dying, or “going crazy.” It is not uncommon for people to go to the emergency room for fear they are having a heart attack, or another medical emergency.
In my clinical practice, parents often ask for help with how to approach their teen during one of these attacks. They have often already tried with less than favorable results.
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