Symptoms of panic attacks or Panic Disorder may include a feeling of 'butterflies' or churning in the stomach, breathlessness, palpitations, sweating, and shaking, among others. These physical symptoms of panic can be accompanied by thoughts racing uncontrollably, and by impulsive or ill-considered behaviour and decision making.

They happen because the sympathetic nervous system (the part of the autonomic nervous system responsible for preparing the body for fight or flight) has been triggered into sudden and extreme action. For further information, see fight/flight response

Panic Attacks may seem to have no obvious cause, and may begin without warning, lasting from a few minutes to many hours. Symptoms vary considerably in severity: in the worst cases, they may be mistaken for heart attack symptoms by medical staff and others.

In other cases, symptoms are more moderate, but no less distressing, as work and home life can be badly affected, leaving a sufferer unable to work properly, or to enjoy social or family life.

Experience is that Panic Disorder can usually be resolved by a combination of treatment, using hypnotherapy and cognitive therapy (which works to enable a person to change the way in which they think about things). I have worked with individuals who have suffered debilitating panic attacks for many years, before deciding to seek help, and whose problem has been successfully and permanently resolved within a short time by therapy here.