The term "panic attack" has become very generic and is used to describe any number of unpleasant or startling episodes that take us by surprise.
But a true panic attack is an period of very intense fear or apprehension that happens very suddenly and lasts about a half an hour although some can be much shorter, less than a minute, or much longer, with some lasting for several hours.
How an attack affects someone is very different from person to person.
Many individuals who experience a true attack for the first time immediately call for emergency services believing they are experiencing a heart attack.
It has been said that experiencing a true, full blown, panic attack is one of the most frightening and uncomfortable experiences one can have.
People who have had true attacks say they feared dying, losing their minds, or were having a heart attack because of a numbing sensation throughout the body.
Others have described flashing or tunnel vision, hyperventilation or very heavy breathing, and an almost uncontrollable urge to "get away" from where the attack took place.
These occurrences are very different from other types of anxiety because they are so very intense and because they happen so very quickly.
And, although they are sometimes experienced along with other anxiety disorders, panic attacks do not always indicate a mental disorder.
Panic attacks can be treated in a number of ways:

• Psychological Therapies such as Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Medications such as anti-depressant and anti-anxiety drugs
• Paper bag rebreathing.
  Many sufferers and some doctors recommend breathing into a paper bag as a short term treatment.
  
• Self help techniques

Before venturing into psycho therapy, counseling, or drug therapy consider self-help first.