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How long does a panic attack last?

268 Answers
Last Updated: 01/18/2021 at 11:40pm
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
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Tracy-Kate Teleke, PsyD, M.A., LMFT

Marriage & Family Therapist

I assist adults and couples in CA experiencing relationship challenges and interpersonal struggles including anxiety, depression, and a myriad of other life challenges.

Top Rated Answers
dreamwithmelovers31
January 24th, 2016 10:17pm
Panic attacks are different for everyone. they usually pass within about 5-10 minutes. however, it can vary for every person.
Kuvira14
January 27th, 2016 3:47am
It depends from person to person. It can take a few minutes,or hours. It is about how fast someone can wind down
Jenn85
January 27th, 2016 12:57pm
Panic attacks can occur at any time, even during sleep. The symptoms usually go into full effect after a few minutes, but some panic attacks last much longer. On average, panic attacks last 20-30 minutes. However, it's not uncommon for one panic attack to trigger another, effectively creating a "rolling panic attack" that can last for an hour or more.
lovelulux
January 28th, 2016 1:33pm
Your body can sustain 'fight or flight' (a panic attack) for 10 - 30 minutes. However, after a panic attack you may be more prone to having another.
Anonymous
January 30th, 2016 2:57pm
"The signs and symptoms of a panic attack develop abruptly and usually reach their peak within 10 minutes. Most panic attacks end within 20 to 30 minutes, and they rarely last more than an hour." http://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/panic-attacks-and-panic-disorders.htm Although they can be scary and it feels like it will never end, I often find it helpful to think of my last one and remember it ended and I got through it.
beckaboo511
January 30th, 2016 3:46pm
A panic attack can last a few minutes, or it could last a half hour. I've had them fade after about a minute, and I've had them keep me shaky for hours.
HotPotato
February 5th, 2016 2:49am
A panic attack usually lasts from 5-30 minutes (this is rare.) With breathing exercises and/or cognitive therapy you can greatly shorten the time and severity of the attacks.
Anonymous
February 5th, 2016 7:32pm
For me, it could last up to fifteen or twenty minutes, but most of the time I had one or more after that, so the fear could last for up to an hour.
bubblingGrace29
February 5th, 2016 11:29pm
It varies upon the person, and it can last a while depending on the person who is having the attack.
aaron182
February 7th, 2016 6:34pm
The majority of the time not long at all. It can depends on how well you handle it but I would say 30 seconds max. The after feelings might last longer but the attack itself not very long.
elliejade
February 10th, 2016 7:50pm
It can differ from person to person, but the person normally because peak (or okay) at 10 minutes, most ends fully within 20 to 30 minutes. They rarely end at an hour but they have been told to end at an hour.
WiltedFlowers
February 10th, 2016 11:52pm
The signs and symptoms of a panic attack develop abruptly and usually reach their peak within 10 minutes. Most panic attacks end within 20 to 30 minutes, and they rarely last more than an hour.
incarnadinepetals
March 18th, 2016 9:46pm
It develops within 10 minutes and most panic attacks end after twenty or thirty minutes! They rarely last more than an hour
Anonymous
March 18th, 2016 11:01pm
A panic attack can last for a minute to a few hours then it goes away for a while and depending what triggers it it might come back for some people but for others its gone forever.
Profiter001
March 20th, 2016 11:19pm
They last different times for different people. So they usually range from maybe 30 seconds to as long as 2 hours for me
piercethejessie
March 24th, 2016 12:38am
It depends. If you are able to calm yourself, it could be anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes. The longest panic attack I've had lasted for 2 hours.
Anonymous
March 24th, 2016 12:37pm
You either have to remove yourself from the situation that is causing the attack or think positive thoughts
Anonymous
March 24th, 2016 3:54pm
honestly, the time can vary from person to person. But for me, it has only lasted no more than 5 minutes or so at a time.
colourfulSummer61
April 2nd, 2016 4:04pm
From Personal experience, I've found that they very much vary, depending on the stage of the panic attack im in. Iv'e found that mild Panic attacks can last me up to 5 minutes. and for me my most severe panic attack was 8 hours off and on for 15 minute bursts of physical shaking, but normally if I have a panic attack its mild to moderate and it lasts about 10 minutes but it can vary greatly from person to person, but if the panic attack manifests its self in a physical way it can last longer than a mild non physical panic attack. I hope this helped and is not meant to scare anyone having panic attacks.
kindVoice73
May 17th, 2016 11:44pm
They last anywhere from 10-20 minutes usually. Some may last even longer, an hour or more but this is rare.
CloudySnowflake
May 23rd, 2016 10:18pm
The length of a panic attack can vary from 5-10 minutes, to half an hour/an hour. It's different for everyone!
EmilyAnnMarie
June 7th, 2016 11:26pm
It depends on you. Some people know ho to cope and it ends quicker, but if you let the anxiety take over, it'll be as long as your brain takes to calm itself.
Anonymous
August 16th, 2016 7:41am
there is no certain amount of how long a panic attack lasts, as it depends on what caused the panic and whether there is a way to calm down from it yourself or from assistance
Anonymous
September 26th, 2016 8:04pm
A panic attack will last anywhere from thirty to sixty minutes, though it will feel like much longer.
ChinaRose
November 28th, 2016 3:36am
My panic attacks usually only last about 3-5 minutes start to finish (not including the deep sleep after), but it feels like they last for hours sometimes. That includes the funny light-headedness, hyperventilating, sweating, blurred vision, everything. So much to cram into 3-5 minutes...
RayM21
February 14th, 2017 6:02pm
Usually it's ten minutes but some people can have it worse. Personally, my panic attack can range from 7 till 15 minutes. People go through panic attacks in a different way. I usually space out, panic, tremble terribly, and usually feel so choked out. Although I've recovered from Anxiety as my last panic attack that was strong enough for me to remember was last year, panic attacks tend to come and go nonetheless.
Anonymous
August 7th, 2018 6:09pm
It honestly depends on yourself, the situation and what you do during the panic attack. There is no set time.
listeningearishere
January 18th, 2021 11:40pm
The duration and symptoms of a panic attack can vary per person. For me, my panic attacks typically subside in 30 to 60 seconds; however, it can last much longer for others. It is hard to predict how long a panic attack will last, and it might often feel like time has slowed down while you are experiencing one, because you tend to be more focused on it passing. Panic attacks are very real and I am sending love to anyone who experiences them. One of the main things that helps me is to tell myself that I will be okay, and to focus on my breathing and/or name five things I can see within my environment