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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?
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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
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.
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.
xxBellaBloomxxBetterInTimexx
April 23rd, 2021 1:23pm
My anxiety attacks would occur at least once every 3 days. I have recently been working through my past traumas, and learning to recognize activating/triggering situations. By doing this, I take back my power from my past traumas and 9/10 i avoid the anxiety attack. So in short, I have only experienced 1 anxiety attack in the past month because when the activating situation occurs, I remind myself I am safe, I focus on the things I can see, I can smell, I can hear, and this helps bring me back into my window of tolerance. These techniques seem so simple, but they have been sooo effective for me.
Anonymous
May 2nd, 2021 3:41pm
I'm sorry you're going through having anxiety attacks. As someone who also deals with this I know how hard it can be and can relate to having had concerns about what is normal for my situation. Just know that you will get through this and with therapy this does get better. Whatever frequency you're experiencing anxiety attacks at is the normal amount for you in your situation. Many people don't get them at all while many other people get them frequently. There isn't a standard amount that's considered normal. Something I've found that worked for me is learning to focus on each of my senses during the anxiety attack and in my head list five things for each sense that I was experiencing in the environment. For example: sight - red pen, notebook, coffee cup, speakers, fern; sound - cars in the distance, keyboard typing, a dog bark, air conditioning; etc. I wish you luck on your journey and know you'll get where you're trying to go.
JustPiscesThings
May 29th, 2021 2:44pm
Anxiety attacks are really difficult to manage in every day life because they can completely disrupt an entire day and leave you completely exhausted afterwards. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to how frequent they are usually because it entirely depends on the person who is having them; some people have known triggers for their anxiety attacks and can limit their own surroundings to prevent exposure to those triggers, while others can have anxiety attacks for seemingly no reason. For a person who has their own anxiety well-managed, attacks shouldn't be so frequent as to wholly disrupt everyday life, and I would strongly encourage anyone who is feeling held back by their anxiety attacks to seek some professional help with finding their own triggers and managing those attacks.
MoonGoddess125
June 16th, 2021 5:32pm
Well, it all depends upon the person. For someone who has social anxiety, they may be very frequent, as you feel like everyone's watching you in public. You start shaking and it's just not a pleasant experience. Some health conditions may also cause anxiety attacks. Illegal substances like drugs and alcohol may trigger these attacks. A few medicines are also known to cause anxiety attacks. Some people have anxiety attacks that are started by the fear of having a future anxiety attack. So, yeah. It just varies from person to person. There isn't really an answer that is on point to this question. Some may experience anxiety attacks several times a day, while some may have them a couple times a week.
Lifewarrior27
June 27th, 2021 1:07am
The number of attacks depend on how severe your condition is. Some people have them once a month while others have them several times a week. It just depends on the individual. From personal experience, I can say that I have experienced panic attacks quite frequently, especially during the most fragile times in my life where I was dealing with some heavy trauma that had occured in my early childhood. I would even have days where I found myself to be completely fine and others days where I felt like because I had panic attacks, I wouldnt be able to carry on with daily functions.
Anonymous
November 7th, 2021 7:17pm
It depends on the environment one lives in. Anxiety attacks and their frequency can be affected by stress, feeling overwhelmed, certain disorders, social standing and status, financial situation, family situation, relationship situation, and more. Some people may only experience an anxiety attack once in their life, but some may experience it on a daily basis. If an individual experiences a lot of stressful situations, or feels like they're in constant danger because of the area they live in, they may grow to experience intense, ever lingering fear, which in high amounts or a shocking increase makes them experience a panic attack.
3libraphasia
November 18th, 2021 9:42pm
There is no set timeframe for the duration of an anxiety attack but research suggests that most attacks last about 20 minutes. While 20 minutes doesn’t sound like a long time, to someone in the throes of an anxiety attack it can feel like hours. It can be extremely helpful to take note of multiple factors surrounding incidents of anxiety attack such as factors that may have triggered the event and the actual duration of the attack. This can be incredibly valuable information that can help mental health professionals determine what type of treatment is best for your particular situation.
PothosPath
December 2nd, 2021 7:47pm
There isn’t really a set number of times someone can have an anxiety attack, they can happen when you least expect it and last for a long or short period of time. When you are having an anxiety attack you need to remove yourself from the situation you’re in, get some air, walk around, regulate your breathing by breathing slowly, in and out. If getting out of the situation isn’t possible, try closing your eyes and breathe in and out to try and ground yourself. If breathing doesn’t work for you, try to identify some things you can feel, see, hear, and smell. If there are people you feel safe around you can try talking to them in order to ground yourself. drinking water and talking to yourself, always reassuring you that you are going to be okay can help as well. Anxiety attacks are scary and sometimes can be really overwhelming, but once you find something that can help you be grounded, you’re on your path to controlling your anxiety attacks and their frequency
naturalhelper6843
January 7th, 2022 12:40pm
A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause. Panic attacks can be very frightening. When panic attacks occur, you might think you're losing control, having a heart attack or even dying. Many people have just one or two panic attacks in their lifetimes, and the problem goes away, perhaps when a stressful situation ends. But if you've had recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and spent long periods in constant fear of another attack, you may have a condition called panic disorder. Although panic attacks themselves aren't life-threatening, they can be frightening and significantly affect your quality of life. But treatment can be very effective.
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.
BlissfulNarration
February 25th, 2022 10:19pm
Firstly, anxiety attacks are not bouts of nerves or anxious feelings - those are normal for most people. Anxiety attacks are sudden episodes of intense fear or anxiety and physical symptoms, based on a PERCEIVED threat rather than imminent danger. Having a lot of anxiety of depression related feelings when in a high stress situation (such as domestic abuse, family stressors, school, etc.) is normal and easy to talk through. An anxiety attack however, because of the physical and mind symptoms, is harder to talk through. Anxiety attacks typically last between 10-20 min and happen 1 to 2 times a month for average cases. This can be increased with stressors. Here is the NHS report on anxiety attacks in the UK: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/panic-disorder/
JogiAsad
March 10th, 2022 12:31am
Panic attacks are common, up to 35% population experience panic attack. Many people have just one or two panic attacks in their lifetimes, and the problem goes away, perhaps when a stressful situation ends. But if you've had recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and spent long periods in constant fear of another attack, you may have a condition called panic disorder. Because of these physical symptoms, anxiety sufferers often mistake their disorder for a medical illness. Anxiety can occur when a person fears that something bad is going to happen. Often the first attacks are triggered by physical illnesses, major stressors, or certain medications.
Anonymous
April 24th, 2022 12:13pm
This can depend on one's personal experience, as well as the things that may trigger anxiety attacks. This also depends on how long an attack lasts. Every situation is different; some people may experience anxiety attacks of different magnitudes and durations every week, whereas others may go years between attacks. The important thing is to learn how to recognize and manage anxiety attacks. It always depends. Sometimes I'm more prone to anxiety attacks, especially if I haven't slept well or exercised much or kept a stable diet. I used to experience anxiety attacks almost everyday when I wasn't exercising regularly or eating right, and going to school for something I didn't care to study and was not skilled at. It was a stressful time. Now I only experience them about one every 2 weeks and only when something very stressful happens. It's not much and very manageable.
SunriseCollective
May 6th, 2022 6:15am
It completely depends on your life situation and the way your brain copes with stress. Anxiety attacks also must not be confused with panic attacks, which are completely different. For some, panic attacks are more common, while for others, anxiety attacks are more common. A lot of people haven't even had one of either. It truly depends on how you cope with stress and trauma, because every human brain does that differently. For a typical adult working a 9 to 5 office jo that is simply replying to emails without much to no home stress, anxiety attacks will be less common. But with a teenager who is suffering an abusive relationship, panic and anxiety attacks will be a lot more frequent, because their brain cannot handle the stress.