Panic Disorder occurs in one out of every 75 people and usually appears during the teens or early adulthood.  Many times Panic Attacks can be triggered by a stressful event along with a  physiological response.  There is a connection with  major life transitions which are potentially stressful: such as graduating from college, getting married, having a first child, and so on. There is more risk of it occurring if there is a genetic predisposition; or if a family member has suffered from panic disorder; 
or when a person is experiencing a time in his/her life that is particularly stressful.
A panic attack is a sudden surge of overwhelming fear that comes without warning and without any obvious reason. It is far more intense than the feeling of being 'stressed out' that most people experience. Symptoms of a panic attack include:

•      racing heartbeat
•      difficulty breathing, feeling as though you 'can't get enough air'
•      terror that is almost paralyzing
•      dizziness, lightheadedness or nausea
•      trembling, sweating, shaking
•      choking, chest pains
•      hot flashes, or sudden chills
•      tingling in fingers or toes ('pins and needles')
•      fear that you're going to go crazy or are about to die

Read other FAQs about how to handle anxiety and stress and how faith can help you cope. 
The following books may help reduce your fears and generate more coping skills: 
Hope for the Troubled Heart by Billy Graham  $4.79
Truth Talk: Telling Yourself and Each Other the Truth by William Backus, Marie Chapian   $9.99
The Good News About Worry  by William Backus $7.99
Niv Thin Line Bible/Indexed Bonded Leather/Burgundy

Lynette Hoy, NCC, LCPC

Resource:  Some of the above information on panic disorder is from the American Psychological Association.