A long panic attack can happen to any of us. These are rare instances, but it does happen. How exactly do we define what long is?
We define this in terms of time itself. It is not entirely uncommon to feel as if an attack lasted for a long time. Each second can feel like a minute. A minute may seem like an hour. Time can feel as if it is at a standstill while we are experiencing an attack. In general however, we can consider long to be over ten minutes.
Long panic attacks can last up to thirty minutes. These are very difficult to endure. The normal ones are already painful enough as it is, much less to consider one that can last three times as long! Fortunately, it is very rare. Even some of the attacks that seem long may not actually have that duration. It is possible to mistake a panic attack with the after effects.
After an attack, the symptoms gradually fade away. During this time, we are trying to calm down and return to a normal state. The symptoms usually will not disappear instantly. This is an important point to take a note of, as this phase is often mistaken for part of an actual attack.
What about normal panic attacks and how long do they last? These attacks are in the five to ten minute range. The vast majority of attacks that occur fall in this area. The actual average time can vary from person to person.
It can average for three minutes for one person, and seven for another. It can be helpful to time the attacks if you would like to find out. Try not to pay attention to the clock however, and focus the attention on getting back to a normal state. Watching a clock can make it feel even longer than it usually would.