What a Panic Attack Really Feels Like

Unwanted adrenaline, unwelcome thoughts. All rationality flies out the window and what's left is the certainty that it's only going to get so much worse. My body fails, my heart races, my throat closes, my vision gets dark, my stomach falls to my feet. I don't want to be touched — but sometimes someone's touch is the only thing that grounds me. I need to be grounded. I need a cold breeze on my overheated face, I need a hand to grip tightly, I need you to be patient. Please be patient.

Panic attacks are unwelcome dark clouds that threaten to block the sun from my days. They are something I've dealt with off and on throughout my adulthood, with wonderful years of relief from them followed by terrible onslaughts of attacks that last for days, weeks, and even months. They leave me feeling like a hostage in my own body, but time and a ton of effort has taught me ways to fight them, and I have hope that one day I'll be able to rid myself of them for good.

​Everyone experiences panic attacks differently, and physical symptoms can vary quite a bit. The common factor is that to those suffering from panic attacks, they are very, very real — and they are horrible. For me, panic attacks are very physical and often genuinely make me feel as though I am actually dying, because my body reacts so intensely and so tangibly to the effects of the disorder. Here are some of the physical effects panic attacks can have on someone.

​Source -Popsugar