At 13 years old, I had my first panic attack and I was so confused. I was sitting in a maths lesson and my heart started pounding. My hands became clammy, my breathing started to pick up, and my vision went blurry. I can’t remember what happened after that. The next thing I remember was sitting outside the classroom with my teacher kneeling in front of me looking shocked. She told me I had a panic attack, and as soon as I got home I made it my mission to know everything about them.
Panic attacks aren’t uncommon. 1.5 percent of the U.S. population (about 3.3 million American adults) age 18 and older will experience a panic attack in a year. This is an incredible number. Most of the time, people don’t realise that they are having a panic attack as it often feels like a heart attack. But it’s important to know what is happening so you can stop it and prevent it in the future.
My panic attacks generally happen when I’ve been subconsciously worrying about something. My anxiety will……
