What age did you start getting full blown panic attacks?

[ILUVLUCY2]

Hi..i was always nervous as a child but i was age 30 when i got my first one and im now 48....Havent had a panic attack in 9 years thank god, because my meds have helped, but i still have anxiety attacks sometimes

 
Lucy

[ElleS]

I had my first panic attack at 23.  Since then, I've (unfortunately) become very familiar with them.  They are usually triggered by driving and traveling in general. 

[OhmeohmyPunk]

I started getting them this year at the age of 20. However before that I was on lexapro (among other things) for depression and OCD so I suspect I could have had them earlier if I were not medicated. After I lost my medical insurance for some time and was no longer medicated I can now look back and see that over time my anxiety got worse little by little after stopping my medication.

[jasonibs9]

So I averaged up all of your responses and came up with an average age of 21.4 yrs .  That being the most common age a person will experience a full blown anxiety attack

[ocdengineer]

That is what the literature typically says.  Most people start having problems with anxiety in their early to late twenties, which makes sense since this is a very tough time for most people.  Real life starts to sink in and it is time to get a hair cut and a real job...  LOL. 

I think many people should examine their childhood and look for times when they had frequent stomach aches and other strange phsical symptoms.  I think many will at least see that even earlier in their lives the anxiety was already there, just not as severe.  Others have had anxiety as a result of a mental trauma, and those people could have had no problems at all up until that event. 

It is strange how anxiety works.  How some people can have it so bad, but come out OK and others can have it so good and suffer endlessly.  I guess my point is that even though the average comes out to early twenties.  It is really not useful data because the distribution of the data is so wide ranging from early childhood to middle age and everything in between.

Take care,
OE

[darkeye]

The first panic attack i can remember having was when i was 12 i think in a school assembly, i'm 21 now (22 next wk ) , but started getting them worse in the last couple of years. As far as i'm aware my gran on my mum's side and her sister had some sort of anxiety problem, but no-one really speaks about it so i'm not sure exactly what it was

[allyboo2]

I started having mine in my early teens, but they kicked in big time in early 20's.

I had an absolutely horrific childhood so I always attributed my anxiety issues to that alone.  I know that certainly plays a strong role but I've found out the genetic piece is a BIG factor.  My mom had anxiety and depression.  Still I used to blame myself all the time for not "getting a grip."

But when my daughter started having them at age 12 (shaking, crying, throwing up) that I saw how much genetics play in this.  We have a happy, stable home so her childhood is nothing like mine and yet she had the same attacks.  I definitely didn't feel that she needed to "get a grip" and realized that I should be more understanding with myself. 

Just wanted to relate that so perhaps someone who feels that it's entirely their fault might be forgiving patient with themselves as they struggle with this. 

[Jenna5]

Around the time I was 17 -- ended up in the ER during Senior Week.   I am now 39.   I have had long time periods when I have been
"panic-free".  I lost my husband suddenly when I was 33 years old.   A couple of years after that (i am surprised it took so long) the mini panic attacks (not full fledge) came back.   

Now... when I have physical symtoms (i have digestive issues) it triggers a panic attack.  I know I need to exercise more, stress less, eat more, but I feel like I am caught in a vicious cycle right now.  Sometimes ativan is helpful.     I am bummmed.  I thought I had kicked this....

[Nick]

mine started at the age of 6 or 7 and i still have panic attacks now at 20

[mankind63]

I've always had them,but not to any significant degree until several years ago,well,maybe 19 ago years or so.It started off as what I thought was a reaction to some bad things I was doing at the time(and it may very well have been,at that time)but even after I stopped all of that I still had them,infrequently,say two or three times a year till about 6 years ago when the frequency and intensity increased.Finally about 3 years ago it just got out of hand,I remember I was watching "Rock Star SuperNova" (which was probably enough to set anyone off!! lol)and I had to drive myself to the hospital,thinking I was having a heart attack.Doc's said good news bad news,your not having a heart attack but you are having...you know the rest.Was on Fluoxetene for a couple of years but took myself off of that...it made me a not so likeable person,but remained on Alprazolam,which now seems to be losing it's effectiveness.I'm sure I need therapy of some sort,but it's kinda wierd to think this may all be in my head....I mean it's just so real feeling....the palpitations,skipping rythym,agitation.....I dunno.....anyway......just had to share my story.

[Char-Danay]

All those symptoms you are experiencing are related to Anxiety! You can actually develop anxiety disorders at any age. So what you are experiencing could all be related to anxiety! I would suggest you talk to your doctor and discuss your symptoms. If you do have any anxiety related disorder there is help out there! However I would strongly suggest you get the help you need now instead of waiting because it will only get worst!
 
I’m 20 year’s old and have been dealing with my anxiety related issues since I was in Kindergarten. Everyone’s symptoms vary. However some of the symptoms I was experiencing were feeling as if I was going crazy, dizziness, ringing in my ears along with many other anxiety related symptoms!

I hope this help’s!

[mankind63]

Char-Danay,
       Thanks.You know,i've been having these feelings since I was very young.I do have a doctor now and wse're working on it,but something you said struck me as very familiar.I remember the very first time it happened I was about 5 or so,maybe younger,and I was in church(maybe another reason I was feeling anxious...lol)and all of a sudden I got light headed and heard a rining in my ears so loudly it became like white noise.I was certain everyone could hear it,but obviously I was the only one who could.It happened a couple of times lioke that in my childhood,but not too much after that,occasionally yes,but not enough to really concern me,I just learned to live with it when it happened,until many years later.Now that I understand what was going on it makes more sense,but getting to the root of it is my main concern now.Some years ago I wrote something that I had been thinking about,regarding that time period,I was trying to understand it....it's called "The Sudden Beyond" :

                   " As a child I heard the roaring silence as it rushed past my ears,sitting in church,clinging to my other's arm and praying that maybe,this time,she could hear it also.She never did,and furthermore insisted that I had not either.I know the difference,I thought,between fact and fiction and can only hope to be granted such leeway and maybe even the benefit of the doubt.There were alot of things I told her that she never believed,so I learned to lie,that maybe she would believe me.I was four or five then and I was learned at manipulation.In this the most vulnerable and honest state a human can exist in(childhood)I could not be trusted.I learned to do things un-naturally,then to cover them up.I became an adult.I learned how childhood wonder had been judged to be little more than mindless meanderings and that the obvious truth was now simple and foolish,not to be believed.
                                                  I clung to my mother's arm and hoped I was alseep."

[jellylegs]

It gave me a chuckle when itspaige commented on 'a grandma who worries'.  Don't we all?!

I agree, it seems a lot of  panic attacks happen in the early 20's on. Children do get them though that's for sure.  I remember hearing about my older sister having issues as a young child. She later had anxiety and agorophobia.   Two of my aunts had issues with what we used to call "nerves" in the good old days.I think my mother self medicated hers with alcohol after retirement. I started having panic episodes in my early 20's and have had GAD and HA in fits and starts all my life.  I think there is a genetic disposition but still ask myself, is it nature or nurture? I sometimess went for years without anything and then for seemingly no reason it happened again and again.

Apparently as a very young child probably about 3 years of age I started on my health issues! We lived with my grandparents and granny would often 'take to her bed.' The Doctor would come to call and I would greet him at the door with a litany of her symptons and what to do about them! My mother was told to get me out of the situation, which she did, but obviously it was already too late!

Another time after being free from anxiety for a few years, a friend came to visit because she wanted to talk with me about her panic and anxiety issues (she didn't know my history) after spending an hour or so with her she said on leaving, "I'm so glad you were here to listen to me, I think I am leaving it all behind."  And she did! No sooner was the door closed when I had my first panic attack in years! Was that empathy or learned response?

Anyway, back to the grandma thing. I am sorry to say that one of my four grandsons has had panic  and anxiety issues since he was a child. He is now 23 ( bright and funny and loveable) and still has them sometimes.  Not only am I grandma who worries but I feel badly that this poison seems to run through my family. However in spite of the pitfalls and set backs I have managed to make a good life for myself. As I read on these posts, and know from experience a great sense of humour is a saving grace.

When I read the list of incredibly gifted and bright folk down the ages who have suffered with this I am inspired that we can rise above it and do great things.

[Nina000]

I was 13 when I had my first panic attack. I didnt get them a lot more until I was around 19 or 20. So wow, 8 years... opens my eyes

[whippetiggy]

About 28 - 10 years ago.

[Bama21]

Had my first panic attack at 30.  Thought I was having a heart attack.  Had my second when I was 31.  Both of these took me to the ER.  Nothing for a few years.  A third attack earlier this year that I was able to talk down.  Then, the fourth panic attack a few months ago landed me where I am now.  I tried to "talk it down" and it didn't work.  I basically panicked for about 8 hours straight.  That one stuck in my head and now I have anxiety disorder as a result. 

I had a wonderful childhood with the best parents anyone could ever have.  But...I have always been overreactive toward any type of pain or health issue.  When I was a kid, I pulled a muscle in my groin and I made such a big deal out of it for so long that my mother took me to a specialist for all kinds of tests to see if I had cancer or something. 

[Midnight Sky]

i had my first panic attack when i was 7. i am 24 now, still got 'em. yay on me.

[tigerpaw]

age..........20

[ento23]

21, and i'm now 29

[Allibasser]

I got my first panic attack at 19 and now im almost 24 and still struggling with them. My symptoms just seem to shift over time, I may go through a year with mostly digestive manifestations, and then those will go away and I'll have a period where I get a lot of breathlessness, etc. I still have yet to find an effective remedy.

[manda266]

had a few as a teenager, full-blown hellish panic and anxiety starting at 26, 29 now

[Redskins Fan]

I've always had slight anxiety, agoraphobic symptoms and social/anticipatory anxeity, but it only got debilitating about 9 year ago; 37 years old now.

But I never experienced a classic panic/anxiety attack as far as I know. But a month ago when lying in bed I might've--my blood pressure skyrocketed, heartbeat really fast, I started to shake and sweat and have a feeling of horrible doom. I shook there in bed almost crying, it lasted a few minutes and I got up because it had completely woken me up. Had another one like that a couple nights later. Had/have been getting more anxious due to health concerns and maybe that was one.

If that's what the attacks are like I feel so bad for you who have them frequently. My anxiety is less acute I guess, I get very nervous and wanting to get out of anywhere and back home ASAP, but haven't had my body react to it as much. Hope yours get a lot better!

[lisad27]

Had my first panic attack at the age of 27 after breaking up w/ a boyfriend and having  a DUI within the same month.  Too much stress to deal with obviously.  Got back to normal within about 3-4 months or so after really researching anxiety/panic disorder so I could understand it more.  Second bout at age 31 after giving birth to my first son; more stress involved because I had just gotten married, moved and had my son all within one year.  Tried Paxil at that point for one week but it made everything 10 times worse, so I started exercising a lot, eating better and made it over the hump within 3-4 months again.   This time, I have just turned 40 (eek!) and I had just gotten over a bad case of flu or sinusitis (still not exactly sure what it was) and then  during the holiday season I thought Id never feel 100% better after getting over the sickness and so I started analyzing every symptom in my body, and boom, panic attack/anxiety returned in December.  I made a decision to eliminate all caffeine from my diet, exercise more and so far, I've felt a lot better and am hoping to be rid of this and back to my regular self soon.

[boosie77]

full blown around 15, diagnosed at 18, now 32

[Lozza]

I had my first panic attack at 11 and had a few panic attacks in the following three years, mainly before exams.
I developed panic disorder at 14 after my Grandad died, and still have it at 18...yay...

I definitely think genetics have a role in anxiety. My Mum had panic attacks between about 15 and 16/17 after being bullied at school, and my maternal Grandmother is also a very anxious person.
I also have depression, and my Dad had that in his teens after years of abuse of him and his siblings by his Father.