What first comes to mind when you think about someone having a panic attack? Picture someone aboit to give a speech to an audience of hundreds of people. You may envision them being sweaty and nervous,, having trouble breathing, or trembling or shaking. If they have public speaking anxiety, they could be having a panic attack.

But did you know that only a few panic attack symptoms are visible to others. Actually most of the symptoms and sensations people experience when having a panic attack are internal. It’s common for people not to know when you’re having a panic attack, especially if you have a silent panic attack.

What is a Silent Panic Attack

A panic attack typically includes physical sensations alongside intense fear and worry thoughts. Sometimes people can become afraid of the panic attack itself, which could be panic disorder.

Fear and worry are associated with panic attacks. And people typically can be afraid of how others will react. Some common fears during a panic attack can include fears that:

Others will see that I’m having a panic attack
Others will judge or criticize me for having a panic attack
Others will think I’m crazy

However, if you are having a silent panic attack, then no one will be able to tell that you’re panicking. A silent panic attack is very similar to a panic attack. The main difference is that a panic attack will include viisble symptoms like sweating and shaking. While a silent panic attack only includes symptoms that are experienced internally.

Silent Panic Attack Symptoms

If you’re having a silent panic attack, it will be very hard for anyone to tell. Silent panic attacks include symptoms and sensations that only you will experience, internally.

Some symptoms of a slent panic attack may include:

Heart palpitations
Feeling cold
Intense fear
Derealization (feeling as if thing’s aren’t real)
Chest pain
Fear of passing out
Feeling hot
Dizziness
Muscle tension
Fear of having a heart attack
Nausea
Feelings of dread
Difficulty concentrating
Blurry vision
Fear of losing control
Lightheadednes
Multiple worry thoughts
Depersonalization (feeling as if you’re disconnected from your body)
Fear of going crazy

If your silent panic attack symptoms are in this list and you don’t have shortness of breath, extreme sweating, or shakiness and trembling, then no one will know when you’re panicking.

Silent panic attacks can be a good thing if you’re worried about other people judging or criticizing you due to your panic attacks. While it’s common to feel shame and stigma if you experience panic attacks, you’re not alone. Panic attacks are very common, with about 11% of the people reporting having a panic attack each year.

What Causes a Silent Panic Attack

Panic attacks and silent panic attacks are caused by the same thing: the fight-or-flight response. When you have a panic attack your fight-or-flight response is triggered to keep you safe from danger. But if there’s no life threatening danger, then it’s a “false alarm” and you’ll experience a panic attack.

Panic attacks will be triggered by different things for different people. Many different things can trigger panic attacks, but generally triggers fall into a few categories:

Genes and biology
Substances and chemicals
External stress and self-talk
Past experiences.

When one or more of your triggers starts the fight-or-flight-response you’ll begin to experience the physical sensations and symptoms of a panic attack. Everyone’s panic symptoms are different. Some people may get hot and sweaty, while others may feel cold and shaky.

It’s also the case that your panic attacks might not be the same every time. Some panic attacks can be more intense, last longer, or be more scary than others. Similarly some panic attacks could be a silent panic attack, while others may not.

It’s important to understand what your specific triggers are for panic attacks so that you can learn how to reduce them. Knowing what your panic attack symptoms are, and if you’re having silent panic attack symptoms, is also helpful. Once you begin to understand what’s causing your silent panic attack, then you can start to cope.

4 Ways to Cope with a Silent Panic Attack

#1: Learn about panic attacks

Silent panic attacks aren’t dangerous, but they can be very scary and overwhelming, often triggering fear and worry thoughts alongside the physical sensations. Therefore, the best treatment for silent panic attacks includes learning more about anxiety, panic, fear, and what is happening in your brain and body when a panic attack is occurring.

#2: Reduce your chemical intake

Substances and chemicals can have an impact on our levels of anxiety. If you’re having silent panic attacks it may be helpful to reduce your intake of common chemicals. Some of these that trigger anxiety in some people include:

Caffeine
Alcohol
Nicotine
Cannabis
Other recreational drugs

Other chemicals that can impact anxiety include hormones. For women in particular, changes in hormones around PMS, perimenopause, menopause, and during and after pregnancy could all cause an increase in anxiety.

Try cutting back on caffeine or switching to decaf, skip the glass of wine after work, and try a mocktail instead. Pay attention to what your body feels like and see if you notice any changes in your anxiety levels when you decrease your chemicals.

#3: Reduce your stress

Everyone experiences stressors regularly, whether that means a demanding job, dealing with traffic, financial stress and worry about money, parenting, and relationships, or work and school deadlines. It’s important to find ways to effectively cope with stress, especially if your stress is triggering uncomfortable silent panic attacks.

Stress management can look different for everyone, but some strategies include:

Deep breathing, meditation and mindfulness, and relaxation exercises
Regular exercise like walking, yoga, swimming, playing a sport, lifting weights
Writing down your thoughts and feelings in a journal
Talking to a supportive friend, partner, or family member

These strategies can help to decrease stress and good stress-management is an important part of living a balanced life, but if you’ve tried these strategies and are still having silent panic attacks, it may be time to consider therapy.

#4: Reduce the impact of other triggers

While we can make changes in our lives to decrease chemicals and substances or work on better stress management, some anxiety triggers are best addressed in therapy. If you want to work on changing your self-talk or decreasing the impact of past experiences, then a licensed mental health provider who is an expert in CBT for anxiety and panic can help.

Treatment for Silent Panic Attacks

Panic attacks can be scary, distressing, and disruptive, whether they are silent panic attacks or not. Experiencing silent panic attacks can also be lonely and isolating, because no one knows that you’re panicking. Seeking therapy from a mental health professional can help. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the best treatment for silent panic attacks.

CBT is an approach to treating silent panic attacks that includes multiple components. It’s based on the idea that the ways you react to having a silent panic attack (what you think and what you do) can either increase or decrease the intensity of the experience. In CBT the focus is on changing your thinking and changing your actions to reduce the intensity, frequency, and duration of the silent panic attacks. If you’re interested in a CBT approach to treating your panic attacks, find a licensed mental health provider who is an expert in CBT for panic and anxiety.

Summary

In conclusion, silent panic attacks can be distressing and isolating due to their internal nature. Understanding the triggers and symptoms for silent panic attacks is crucial for learning to manage them effectively. Learning more about what silent panic attacks are and why they’re happening is an important first step in getting relief.

Additionally reducing your panic attack triggers by decreasing the intake of anxiety-inducing substances and chemicals, managing stress through various relaxation techniques, and seeking help from a mental health professional, individuals can significantly improve their silent panic attacks. With proper coping strategies and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) it’s possible to reduce the intensity, frequency, and duration of these silent panic attacks. Remember, silent panic attacks are a common experience, and with the right strategies and support, they can be managed successfully.

If you think therapy is right for you, working with a mental health professional who specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a good idea. CBT is the best treatment for silent panic attacks. To learn more about CBT for silent (and regular) panic attacks, check out my CBT for Anxiety or Therapy for Panic page or schedule a free 15-minute consultation today.

Silent Panic Attacks: Are They a Thing?