Generally speaking, panic attacks are often fairly short-lived. For some people, it may pass within as little as five minutes (via WebMD). For others, it may last about a half-hour, reports Healthline. Most often, symptoms are at their worst around the ten-minute mark of a panic attack. After this time, symptoms usually begin to diminish.
However, there have been some reports of people experiencing hours-long panic attacks or even days-long panic attacks. In this event, a patient is usually experiencing a heightened state of anxiety rather than a panic attack. In some cases, however, this extended period of distress may be the result of multiple panic attacks occurring at one time. As previously mentioned, the key factor separating a panic attack from a state of high anxiety is whether or not symptoms peak within ten minutes. It's also possible that you may be experiencing residual symptoms in the aftermath of a panic attack, which may make it feel as if it's lasting for a longer amount of time. These residual symptoms can include anxiousness, muscle tension, tiredness, chest discomfort, or hyperventilation.
Thankfully, we don't have to be at the mercy of a panic attack — there are coping skills one can implement to help move through the panic more effectively.
