panic attack

The sudden onset of intense fear and anxiety, usually accompanied by such symptoms as sweating; palpitations; tremor; nausea; chills; dizziness; derealization; and fears or feelings of losing control, going crazy, and dying. The attack occurs suddenly and builds to a peak within a few minutes. It occurs in several types of anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, social phobia, specific phobia, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and acute stress disorder. Onset of the attack may be unexpected with no particular stressor (uncued), or it may occur almost always when confronted by or in anticipation of a stressor (cued). Panic attacks may also be situationally predisposed, in which the attack is more likely but not invariably going to happen when confronted by or in anticipation of a stressor.