Panic Attacks

Panic Attack Prevalence

During an average year, 11.2% of adults in the United States are estimated to experience panic attacks, with 28.3% of adults experiencing a panic attack in their lifetimes. Panic attacks are less common before puberty and typically begin at 22 to 23 years of age. Although panic attacks continue to occur in older adulthood, they are less prevalent among adults over 60 relative to younger adults. A variety of factors may place a person at greater risk for experiencing panic attacks. Before having a panic attack, many people experience a significant life stressor, such as a problem that affects their interpersonal relationships or well-being. Additionally, panic attacks are more common among people who more often experience negative emotions and among those who engage in body vigilance or attend more to their internal physiological sensations (e.g., heart rate), fear the physiological sensations associated with anxiety (termed anxiety sensitivity), and interpret these sensations as harmful.

Associated Conditions and Impairments

[Page 1184]A panic attack is not a diagnosable mental disorder on its own, but can be a feature of many psychiatric disorders and can be experienced without a psychiatric disorder. Having a panic attack increases one’s risk for developing a psychiatric disorder later in life, including anxiety, depressive, and bipolar disorders. Although repeated panic attacks are a core feature of panic disorder, people with a wide variety of psychiatric disorders experience panic attacks, including anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobias, as well as depressive disorders, bipolar disorders, trauma-related disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse disorders. Panic attacks are also more common among people with medical illness, including cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities are also affected by panic attacks, as higher rates of panic symptoms are present among people with autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, developmental coordination disorder, and intellectual disabilities across the lifespan.

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