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How frequent are anxiety attacks usually?

266 Answers
Last Updated: 05/06/2022 at 6:15am
How frequent are anxiety attacks usually?
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
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Sarah Robb, LISW-S (Licensed Independent Social Worker, Supervisor Designation) and LICDC (Licenced Chemical Dependency Counselor)

Clinical Social Work/Therapist

Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations. Life poses many challenges. Learning to face, cope with, and resolve these challenges can increase our resilience.

Top Rated Answers
jessicajessica
August 15th, 2018 11:22pm
There is no "usual" with anxiety attacks. Everyone is different in the frequency, duration, and triggers of an anxiety attack. Your doctor or therapist will probably ask you how often they happen. You should track the frequency on your own- either by writing it down or using an app. As you are tracking, it's helpful to note where you were and what was going on. If you can observe a pattern of triggers, you can work to manage your anxiety when you expect to be in a situation where you might experience an anxiety attack.
tessab719
August 18th, 2018 8:01pm
Everyone is different some have attacks daily, while others only have an anxiety attack occurrence every once in a blue moon. It all just depends how serious your anxiety is, and what causes or triggers the attack. If you have a lot of anxiety attacks you should talk to a therapist. They can help you manage and learn to stop and or prevent these anxiety attacks from happening. It just all depends on how serious your anxiety is. If you need to talk to someone about anxiety feel free to talk to me or any other listener. We would all love to help!
specialShell35
September 8th, 2018 8:57pm
anxiety attacks, for people that have them, very frequent, like every day, or every week, and they arenʻt easy to deal with at all. And there is hope, in learning to deal with them, it getʻs better, and less frequent or scary for the person, having them. A lot of times, people with these attacks, usually not always have some previous trauma, that caused their brain to react to something simple in a hard way, for their body to handle. So just if you have a loved one with this, ask them to breathe deep breaths, and do relaxation techniques to help a little.
Anonymous
September 22nd, 2018 8:48am
It depends on each and every person. One person could have an anxiety attack every day and some people could have an anxiety attack once a week or even once a month. Like I said, it totally depends on each and every person in this world. There are over 7 billion people on this planet and no two are the same so why would their anxiety attacks be the same? Remember to stay strong, keep your head up, smile, connect with a listener 1-2-1 if you need to and use self care if you need to. You absolutely deserve it.
Anonymous
November 7th, 2018 2:32am
My wife has an anxiety disorder with panic attacks, it happens once a week on average but that's just an average. Sometimes it doesn't happen that week, sometimes it happens twice a week. The important part is knowing that you are in control and it won't last forever. Please focus on those 2 things. Apparently I have to add more words to this answer so I want you to know that you aren't alone in this, there are so many people out there who deal with what you are dealing with. It sucks, but in the end, it will make you a stronger person.
empathicRiver85
November 7th, 2018 7:35pm
Every person is different. They can last from as little as a few minutes to a few hours. They can also happen multiple times a day or within a week for some, and others may only have one every so often. Keeping a journal or record of when you have anxiety attacks helps to keep track of them. Note if you see that there is a change in frequency. Also, using the journal to measure intensity and record symptoms aids in understanding your personal attacks. You will be able to look back at your experiences and won't have to worry about remembering all of them.
Anonymous
November 13th, 2018 5:24am
Usually I have panic attacks anywhere from 0 to 5 times per week. It just depends on what is going on and whether or not I'm in a funk. (Depressed) But this is just me. I am positive that it is different for everyone. Everyone has different triggers, sensitivities, fears, and anxieties that they have to deal with. Often I've found that the things happening in my life aren't the most outstanding reasons as to why I'm having a panic attack, but my attitude and mood. If I'm in a bad mood, the smallest things might cause my anxiety to rise and I'll have a panic attack.
Joye74
November 25th, 2018 2:43pm
I have experienced once every day, every week, month and months and never. Also, some were short lived vs others. It depends on the underlying reasonings and recovery or remedy we do. I used to call friends and talk to them hours. I used to have 15-20 friends lists in different continents so that I could talk to them. Later I noticed that talking was just temprory solution and started doing yoga, music, and CBT which helped significantly. Also, it helped design my life to live happily alone. World is a great place to have fun and enjoy life if loneliness anxiety is gone.
Anonymous
January 6th, 2019 1:02am
Anxiety attack’s can vary in frequency. If you’re currently going through tonight turns or are under a lot of stress, you are more likely to have an anxiety attack. However anxiety attack’s can happens at any time. Anxiety attacks may occur during a presentation, during a test, during a funeral or wedding, basically during any event that can cause you grief or stress and anxiety. I know that my anxiety attacks mainly occurs during or after exams (especially when I feel I haven’t done as well as I had hoped). Just know that there are always people that are there for you and you should never ever feel ashamed about having an attack.
Anonymous
January 19th, 2019 9:48pm
It really depends on the person. For someone with an anxiety/social anxiety disorder, anxiety attacks can happen as frequently as daily or weekly. For others, it’s situational, it may happen 3 times a week then not have another anxiety attack for a month. Anxiety attacks can be a nuisance but the good news is, they can be treated with medication, therapy, and mindfulness excersizes. An estimated 2-3 percent of Americans have a panic disorder at some point in their lives so you’re not alone! Everyone here at 7 cups is here to support you through your journey and if you ever need to talk about it, we’re here.
whimsicalBeauty81
January 23rd, 2019 10:38pm
There is no standard answer to this, it depends on the person and how strongly that are currently suffering with anxiety. The good think is that there are ways to reduce your anxiety regardless of the stage at which you are. If you need help and support with coping techniques for dealing with anxiety 7 cups is full of helpful listeners who will have experienced anxiety themselves and can offer you the benefit of there experiences. There are also many resources availible on the site and via the site that are invaluable for this. Some of the mindfulness exercises are fantastic.
stillnessandpeace
March 12th, 2021 11:42pm
The frequency of anxiety attacks differs based on the individual person. Try to never compare your progress or conditions to anyone else's because you are your own individual person and every single person is different. Often times the amount of anxiety attacks can vary depending on the stressors around you and how often you feel nervous in an environment. There are several techniques that can be used to control anxiety. If you feel like you're having more frequent anxiety attacks and would like to control them, try reaching out to a member on 7 Cups for support and/or a professional.
fosteringhope
June 26th, 2020 4:38am
It is different for different people, as unhelpful as that might sound. Some folks will go their whole lives without having a single anxiety attack, but some folks have multiple anxiety attacks per day. It is different from person to person and is often dependent on things like genetics, brain chemistry, etc. I wish I could tell you “the normal amount is x anxiety attacks,” but that wouldn’t be true. The truth is that everyone is different, and all we can do is try to understand ourselves and what is usual for us as individuals. Take care and be well! And please always feel free to reach out.
Anonymous
July 8th, 2020 4:19am
Panic attacks vary an frequency. For some people they happen daily, and for some people they happen once every couple months/years/weeks/days. It just depends on the person. For me personally, they often happen sporadically and not super often. They can be triggered by something or nothing. So if you ever feel yourself starting to feel like you are about to have a panic attack, it’s important to step back, do a grounding technique, and try to focus your breathing. More often than not, trying to ground yourself before the panic attack can help it not be as bad, or not as strong/difficult.
Anonymous
August 1st, 2020 3:44pm
This varies for everyone! Some people will never have one, some people get them rarely, but some people with anxiety and other related conditions (such as panic disorder) can get them much more frequently! There is usually a trigger, but this can't always be identified - so don't worry if you can't always tell what is causing these. Panic attacks can be managed with breathing exercises, relaxation, distraction techniques, various types of therapy (such as CBT) and most importantly - talking about them! There are listeners here on 7 Cups 24/7 to talk if you wish to do so.
Anonymous
August 7th, 2020 4:00pm
Anxiety attacks can vary from person to person, the symptoms and the time taken to come back from it. Typically, anxiety attacks peak at the ten minute mark and they will continue to for around 20 more minutes sometimes more,. Usually anxiety attacks end within an hour. The frequency varies from person to person and the amount of anxiety this person may be dealing with. If someone feels themselves in situations that cause more of a fight or flight response, they will find themselves suffering with more anxiety attacks. They stem from stress, worry, and fear so anytime one of these emotions is triggered, an anxiety attack may also be triggered.
Anonymous
August 22nd, 2020 8:02pm
The number of attacks you have is based upon how severe your condition is. Some have attacks once or twice a month, while others have them serveral times a week. At first attacks come "out of the blue" but over time a person may come to expect them in certain situations. If a person begins to avoid these situations due to fear of a panic attack they may also have agoraphobia. Sime people suffer with panic attacks on a daily or weekly basis. Some symptoms of anxiety attacks are feeling of lossing control or going crazy, chest pain, feelings of passing out, and trouble breathing or choking sensation.
KatieTheWingedOne
September 4th, 2020 4:59pm
The amount can vary from person to person, given the condition and stress you're under but usually they can be as frequent as several times a week or only a few times a month (if any more than that it could be a serious panic disorder, and the most appropriate treatment would be seeing a therapist :)) It can also depend on the severity of each attack and how many stressors or 'triggers' you see frequently, unfortunately it's rather overwhelming in a multitude and can be hard to cope with if its incredibly common. I hope this helps a little more.
Anonymous
September 11th, 2020 10:34pm
I get panic attacks usually around 2-3 times a month, When I experience my panic attacks I usually experience somatic symptoms. It starts with mild nausea, heart palpitations, and shakiness. It often ends with me getting cold sweats and throwing up. I can prevent it from escalating when I practice slow breathing and placing myself in a positive head space. If I am able to calm myself down before the more intense symptoms kick in then I usually am able to calm myself in 5 minutes. If it gets really bad and I am vomiting it can last anywhere from 15 min to over an hour
Anonymous
September 13th, 2020 5:36am
The frequency of panic attacks really can vary based on so many factors. Your surroundings, environment, relationships, current mental state, your life story. When I was younger I had several panic attacks within a day on bad days. How surrounded are you by triggers? How are you coping? Are you receiving help? I don't think there really is a "usually" answer here because I don't think there is any kind of base we can compare ourselves to. Our own experiences will always be unique. Now they're rare. I have medications, coping skills, and have learned to recognize my own personal warning signs, so I am able to separate, regroup, and prevent them more often.
caringPuppy404
October 15th, 2020 9:03pm
It depends on the person, their body response and personality, not forgetting their environment. Some people get anxiety attacks 2 times a week minimum while others get panic attacks 5 times a week maximum.It all the depends on the person's ability to control their emotions and situations and the kind of support they have...anxiety attacks can be minimized to eliminated with the right mental, social support and a healthy environment . To minimize anxiety attacks one should undertake mental training to strengthen control of emotions and manage the type of foods they eat cause it has an effect on your brain and hormones released
Anonymous
November 8th, 2020 11:13pm
Anxiety attacks are different for everyone. Some people experience them once a month and some experience them once a day. I get anxiety attacks about once a week but it’s always different. It usually depends on what’s going on around me or what other people around me are going through. Anxiety attacks are really scary and sometimes feel like they won’t end. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and you will reach it no matter how long it takes. Timing is different for everyone. It may take some only a few minutes to calm down and some people need hours.
heartwarmer118
November 11th, 2020 7:20pm
It varies from people to people. Anxiety attacks come at random. One minute you may be feeling good, the next thing you know is that you're having worst case scenario thoughts in your mind. There are various factors, food habits for example. If your diet consists of a lot of caffeine, you may experience frequent anxiety attacks. There are triggers in case of a PTSD or a recent traumatic event. These triggers can cause an anxiety attack every time you face something like that, if these triggers aren't dealt with. There are lifestyle choices, not enough sleep or severe work stress may lead to frequent anxiety attacks. With all that being said, it's not easy to say exactly how frequent these attacks will occur but if we can keep track of it and acknowledge it while we learn to deal with them by using techniques such as CBT or others, we can control our anxiety to a huge extent.
amethystLantern
November 22nd, 2020 3:53am
The frequency of anxiety attacks varies from person to person and even within the same person, speaking from personal experience as well. For me, my anxiety attacks can happen as infrequently as once a month or less or as frequently as multiple times per day sometimes depending on what's going on in my life, my stress level, and a number of other factors. It can be totally normal for them to happen just once in a while or all the time. It's both frustrating and kind of a relief that it can fluctuate so much. It sucks that it's not always predictable, but I personally am also grateful I have times where they're not so frequent.
Anonymous
December 16th, 2020 6:41pm
Anxiety attacks manifest differently in different people. This means that not only can they present with different symptoms, but they can also occur with different frequencies. For instance, if ten people in a room all experience anxiety attacks, it is unlikely that all of them will experience them with the same or similar frequencies. Perhaps one person has them once a week, whereas another has them roughly once a month, still another could have them daily or multiple times a day, and yet another could experience them only in extremely tense and relatively infrequent situations (such as at funerals or at doctor's appointments) so that they can't say how frequently they occur, except that they do occur, and do so infrequently but at specific times. If anxiety attacks are interfering with your life, it may be best to seek medical or mental health advice from a qualified professional, so that you can come to know more about anxiety attacks.
Anonymous
December 19th, 2020 2:20pm
It depends on how severe the anxiety. Some people only have anxiety attacks in certain situations. Other's have them often and for no apparent reason. Some people have a underlying currant of constant anxiety that varies in intensity throughout the day. If you are having constant anxiety or frequent anxiety attacks it's best to seek out professional help. Also if the anxiety is complicating matters with your family, friends, work, or general happiness its might be a good idea to seek professional help. In general everybody experiences anxiety during different times or events in their life, it's when its disrupting your life often or all the time when it should be concerning
Anonymous
January 1st, 2021 10:47pm
There is no correct answer to this question. It all depends from person to person. Their triggers, current emotional status, what they have been trough, their coping mechanisms and if they have anyone out there willing to listen and help them. For example: single person, living alone, far away from family, introvert. Something bad happens. The situation might go in 2 ways: the person cries all the time, doesn't leave the house, sleeps a lot etc.. but! This same person can be used to 'depend on myself' mode and just continue to live without giving much attention to their problem. We are not the same. Also, anxiety is normal, basic part of our lives sometimes. If you have big presentation in front of 50 people tomorrow, it is normal to feel anxious. I will feel anxious probably whole week before it, you may not be anxious at all and someone will be anxious about it since the day they learn they have to do that presentation. But you cannot diagnose yourself with anxiety in those kind of situations.
Anonymous
January 2nd, 2021 7:40pm
anxeity attacks are basked on what type of anxiety you have. there are a bunch of different types of anxiety and depending on your type of anxiety most likly depends on how frequent your attacks are. the best solution would be to find out what kind of anxiety you have. then once you figure out what kind of anxiety you have you should be able to see how often your attacks are. i wouldnt get frustrated or impatient. learning something new about yourself takes time and is worth understanding so you can help yourself to not have so many attacks.
Anonymous
January 12th, 2022 8:40pm
Hello, anxiety is a very tricky thing. Panic attacks can be triggered or random so it is hard to say how frequent they are. It is different for everyone. There are many factors such as if it is a new problem or something you have had, also if there are new changes in your life that could be causing them, if you have a new job or new classes at school, or new relationship issues. I would love to know more about your situation and listen to how you feel. I cannot offer much advice but I can listen and be there for you
Vithleem
January 15th, 2022 2:53pm
This really depends on the individual. There is no specific answer that would apply to everyone, especially since some level of anxiousness is acceptable. However, if you undergo anxiety attacks on a regular basis, to the point that you feel unable to complete simple tasks or if you postpone things then you might address a professional who can give you specific tips on how to reduce the number of anxiety attacks that you are experiencing. Remember that an important aspect is to note how much these anxiety attacks last, so that you have an overall image and understand the situation better.