Panic Attacks
Panic attacks are severe bouts of anxiety that occur without warning and without any obvious precipitating cause. The sensations of palpitations, shortness of breath, faintness and chest pains - usually caused by over-breathing - can be so alarming as to appear life threatening both to the sufferer and any observer. In the absence of thyroid disorder, or a tumour that produces adrenaline, both of which can produce such symptoms, there are treatments available to stop attacks if they happen, or to prevent them occurring in the first place. While they are rare in childhood, they may first appear during adolescence, when they may be particularly frightening.
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