This panic attack symptoms checklist was developed by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). See the APA's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) for more information.
Panic Attack Symptoms:
- A sense of imminent danger or impending doom
- An urge to escape and urgent desire to flee
- Palpitations
- Sweating
- Trembling or shaking
- Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
- Feeling of choking
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Nausea or abdominal distress or lightheadedness
- Derealization or depersonalization
- Fear of losing control or "going crazy"
- Fear of dying
- Parathesias (a burning or prickling sensation that is usually felt in the hands, arms, legs, or feet, but can also occur in other parts of the body)
- Chills or hot flushes
- Blushing (in social or performance anxiety situations)
Panic attack symptoms can co-occur with a variety of mental disorders - not just anxiety disorders. Panic attack can be listed as a specifier for any of the DSM-5 disorders.
See the Panic​ Attack article for the key diagnostic criteria and more information.