# Anxiety Disorders > Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia >  >  Panic attacks while you're sleeping?

## Koalafan

Has anyone else ever have this happen before?  There have been many nights where I wake up in the middle of a panic attack and it is one of the most awful sensations ever =/. It takes about 10 minutes to fully wear off, but its stuff like that that makes me wanna stay up and not even go to sleep  ::(:

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## CityofAngels

Is this something different from "night terrors"?

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## Koalafan

Im not really sure!  :Mega Shock: , Usually I wake up depersonalized and very detached from reality with a sense a dread so maybe, but its not very "nightmarish" but there is a sense of dread when I wake up

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## CityofAngels

Night terrors aren't nightmares, there's no story line in your head just overwhelming fear.

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## takethebiscuit

Could be night terrors but there is also a physical condition that can cause something like that. See your doctor about it.

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## davidjvista1

Oh yeah I know about these! It has to be the worst kind of panic attack, I would feel like I'm having one in my sleep for a few minutes and then wake up with a full blown attack! I would wake up and would have to sit on the edge of my bed and try to calm down...

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## Chantellabella

I have panic attacks during the day and definitely during the night. It's a terrible feeling, huh? I'll wake up with my heart pounding and I'll want to run away. It's difficult to get back to sleep too, after the attack.

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## WintersTale

I've never had a panic attack while I was sleeping, that I was aware of, anyway.

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## WineKitty

I have had it before falling asleep but never during or in the middle of the night.

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## Koalafan

> I have had it before falling asleep but never during or in the middle of the night.



Oh yea Ive have that happen before too where you're about to fall asleep then you JOLT up out of bed in a panic! Bah! ><

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## Antidote

Yeah I went through a phase where sometimes I'd wake up at 3 am and have a panic attack almost immediately. I'm pretty sure mine were psychological in origin because I was pretty unhappy at the time.  They've gone now.

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