Panic Disorder Test — Free Panic Attack Assessment Online
Are you having panic attacks? Test whether the pattern fits Panic Disorder criteria in 3 minutes. Free in the Mindtalk app.
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Krishna K R, MBBS MD fellowship in Psyco Sexual Medicine. Last reviewed 2026-09-25.
Important safety information
The PANC includes a question about thoughts of self-harm (question 9). If you have had any such thoughts recently, please reach out for support before or instead of taking this assessment — you do not need to take a test to deserve help.
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What a panic attack is
A panic attack is an abrupt surge of intense fear or discomfort that peaks within minutes and includes at least 4 of:
- Palpitations / racing heart
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Shortness of breath
- Feelings of choking
- Chest pain
- Nausea
- Dizziness / light-headedness
- Feelings of unreality or detachment from self
- Fear of losing control
- Fear of dying
- Numbness or tingling
- Chills or hot flushes
Attacks typically peak in 10 minutes and subside within 30.
Panic attack vs Panic Disorder
Having a panic attack is not Panic Disorder. Many people experience isolated panic attacks during high stress without developing the disorder.
Panic Disorder (DSM-5) requires:
- Recurrent unexpected panic attacks
- At least one attack followed by 1+ month of:
- Persistent worry about additional attacks, AND/OR
- Significant maladaptive behaviour change to avoid attacks
- Not attributable to substances or medical conditions
In the US National Comorbidity Survey Replication (9,282 adults), 22.7% reported isolated panic attacks at some point in life, while 3.7% met criteria for panic disorder without agoraphobia and 1.1% for panic disorder with agoraphobia [1].
How your results are presented
This is a Mindtalk self-check, not a validated research scale, so it has no clinical cut-off score. Your answers are summarised as a pattern profile rather than a pass or fail:
| Pattern | What it suggests | Suggested next step |
|---|---|---|
| Few or no panic features | Your experience does not fit a panic pattern | No action; recheck if attacks start |
| Panic attacks without ongoing worry or avoidance | Isolated attacks, common under stress | Learn about panic; see a doctor after a first severe attack |
| Recurrent attacks with worry or avoidance for a month or more | Consistent with the panic disorder pattern | Book a clinical evaluation |
| Avoidance of places or situations | Possible agoraphobia features | Book a clinical evaluation soon |
Only a clinician can diagnose panic disorder, after ruling out medical causes.
Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia often develops secondary to Panic Disorder — avoidance of situations where escape would be difficult if a panic attack occurred:
- Crowds, public transport, driving
- Being alone outside home
- Enclosed places (elevators, cinemas)
- Wide open spaces
- Standing in line
Can severely restrict life. Treatable through graded exposure CBT.
Medical mimics — important to rule out
Panic attack symptoms overlap with medical conditions:
- Cardiac — heart attack, arrhythmia (chest pain, palpitations)
- Thyroid — hyperthyroidism (racing heart, sweating, tremor)
- Hypoglycaemia — low blood sugar
- Pulmonary embolism — sudden shortness of breath
- Vestibular — vertigo can mimic derealisation
For first panic attack, medical evaluation matters. Once cardiac and other mimics are ruled out, treatment focuses on Panic Disorder.
Treatments backed by evidence
CBT with interoceptive exposure — First-line. Usually delivered over about 12-16 weekly sessions. Strong evidence.
Interoceptive exposure deliberately induces panic-like sensations in safe context:
- Hyperventilate 60 seconds → dizziness
- Spin in chair → derealisation
- Breathe through a straw → shortness of breath
- Stare at ceiling → visual instability
Repeatedly noticing "I feel dizzy → I'm not dying" teaches the brain these sensations aren't catastrophic. This is the cognitive core of Panic Disorder treatment.
SSRIs — Escitalopram, sertraline, paroxetine. Effective for moderate-severe. Often combined with CBT.
Benzodiazepines — Can help acute attacks but avoided as long-term treatment due to dependence risk.
Behavioural therapy for agoraphobia — Graded exposure to avoided situations.
Validation and evidence
Panic disorder is diagnosed by a clinician using DSM-5 criteria. The most widely used clinician-rated severity measure is the Panic Disorder Severity Scale, a 7-item scale developed in a multicentre treatment study of 186 patients, which showed excellent inter-rater reliability, favourable validity and sensitivity to change with treatment [2]. The Mindtalk test uses the same core criteria (unexpected attacks, anticipatory worry, avoidance) to organise your answers, but it has not been separately validated, so treat your result as a guide to whether an evaluation makes sense. Population data put the lifetime rate of panic disorder at about 5% of adults, with isolated attacks far more common [1].
References
- Kessler RC, Chiu WT, Jin R, Ruscio AM, Shear K, Walters EE. The epidemiology of panic attacks, panic disorder, and agoraphobia in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2006;63(4):415-424. PubMed
- Shear MK, Brown TA, Barlow DH, et al. Multicenter collaborative panic disorder severity scale. Am J Psychiatry. 1997;154(11):1571-1575. PubMed
When to see a specialist
- Recurrent panic attacks
- Worry about future attacks
- Avoidance of situations
- Panic Disorder impairing work, relationships, or daily function
Panic disorder is one of the anxiety disorders. Mindtalk's clinicians with panic disorder CBT expertise work across Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mysore, and online for anywhere in India.
After the Panic Disorder Test
- Screen general anxiety. If you also worry about many everyday things, the GAD-7 checks for generalised anxiety.
- Screen depression. Panic disorder often occurs alongside depression; the PHQ-9 checks for it.
- Structured programme. The 90-day Anxiety Loop Breaker programme includes panic disorder CBT tracks.
- Book a specialist. Mindtalk's anxiety specialists across India.
Related reading
- GAD-7 anxiety
- HAM-A anxiety
- BAI Beck Anxiety Inventory — somatic-heavy anxiety
- Anxiety hub
- Anxiety Loop Breaker 90-day programme
- Mindtalk's anxiety specialists across India
How to take the PANC
- 1
Open the Panic Disorder Test in the Mindtalk app
Tap "Take the Panic Disorder Test" to open the assessment.
- 2
Answer items about panic attacks and their impact
For each item, describe your experience with panic attacks.
- 3
Get your Panic Disorder pattern profile
Receive your assessment and personalised recommendations.
Related assessment guides
BAI (explained) → GAD-7 alternative
The Beck Anxiety Inventory — the classic 21-item somatic-focused anxiety measure. Learn what it is, and take the free GAD-7 alternative in the Mindtalk app.
Read the guide →GAD-7
The most widely used anxiety screener in clinical practice. 7 questions, 2 minutes, instant score with a personalised next-step recommendation. Free in the Mindtalk app.
Read the guide →HAM-A
The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale — the clinician-administered anxiety severity standard since 1959. 14 items, 8 minutes, instant score bands. Free in the Mindtalk app.
Read the guide →PSWQ
The Penn State Worry Questionnaire — the standard measure of trait pathological worry. 16 items, 4 minutes, instant clinical bands. Free in the Mindtalk app.
Read the guide →SIAS
The Social Interaction Anxiety Scale — the standard measure of anxiety in one-on-one and small-group interaction. 20 items, 4 minutes. Free in the Mindtalk app.
Read the guide →SPIN
The Social Phobia Inventory — the standard self-report scale for social anxiety disorder. 17 items, 4 minutes, instant clinical bands. Free in the Mindtalk app.
Read the guide →Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a panic attack?
- A panic attack is an abrupt surge of intense fear or discomfort that peaks within minutes and includes at least 4 of the following symptoms: (1) palpitations / racing heart; (2) sweating; (3) trembling; (4) shortness of breath; (5) feelings of choking; (6) chest pain; (7) nausea; (8) dizziness / light-headedness; (9) feelings of unreality (derealization) or being detached from self (depersonalization); (10) fear of losing control; (11) fear of dying; (12) numbness or tingling; (13) chills or hot flushes. Attacks typically peak in 10 minutes and subside within 30.
- How is Panic Disorder different from having panic attacks?
- One panic attack does not equal Panic Disorder. Many people experience isolated panic attacks during high stress without developing the disorder. Panic Disorder (DSM-5) requires: (1) recurrent unexpected panic attacks; (2) at least one attack followed by 1+ month of persistent worry about additional attacks, significant maladaptive behaviour change to avoid attacks (like avoiding places where an attack occurred); (3) not attributable to substances or medical conditions. In a large US survey, about 4.8% of adults met lifetime criteria for panic disorder (with or without agoraphobia), and 22.7% had experienced isolated panic attacks.
- Can panic be mistaken for a heart attack?
- Yes — very commonly, and this is one of the reasons people with first panic attacks often present to emergency departments. Panic attacks and heart attacks share several symptoms (chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, sweating). Important: if you have any doubt, especially with a first attack in someone with cardiac risk factors, get medical evaluation. Once panic is confirmed (not cardiac) and cardiac conditions ruled out, treatment can focus on Panic Disorder.
- What causes panic attacks?
- Multi-factorial. Common contributors: (1) Genetic predisposition (panic disorder is moderately heritable); (2) Anxiety sensitivity (fear of anxiety-related sensations); (3) Life stress or trauma; (4) Substance use (caffeine, stimulants, cannabis, alcohol withdrawal); (5) Medical conditions (thyroid, hypoglycaemia, cardiac) that mimic or trigger panic; (6) Interoceptive misinterpretation — noticing a benign body sensation (increased heart rate) and interpreting it catastrophically ("I'm having a heart attack"), which triggers the sympathetic response and cascade.
- What treatment works?
- CBT with interoceptive exposure is first-line and has strong evidence. Interoceptive exposure deliberately induces panic-like symptoms (hyperventilating for 60 seconds, spinning to induce dizziness) in a safe context to teach the brain these sensations aren't catastrophic. Cognitive work targets misinterpretations. SSRIs are added for moderate-severe cases. Benzodiazepines can help acute attacks but are avoided as long-term treatment due to dependence risk.
- What if I''m avoiding places or activities?
- Panic Disorder with agoraphobia — avoidance of situations where escape would be difficult or embarrassing if a panic attack occurred (crowds, public transport, being alone). Agoraphobia often develops secondary to panic attacks and can severely restrict life. Treatable through CBT with graded exposure. If you notice avoidance building, addressing it early prevents entrenchment.
- When should I see a specialist?
- Recurrent panic attacks; worry about future attacks; avoidance of situations. Any single severe attack that has you avoiding places. Suspected medical mimics (chest pain, breathlessness) should be evaluated medically first. Mindtalk's clinicians with panic disorder CBT expertise work across Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mysore, and online for anywhere in India.
- Is this panic attack test accurate?
- It is a structured self-check based on DSM-5 panic disorder criteria, reviewed by Cadabams clinicians. It has not been validated against clinical interviews the way research scales have, so it has no diagnostic cut-off. Use it to understand whether your experience fits the panic disorder pattern and to decide whether to seek an evaluation, where a clinician may use validated tools such as the Panic Disorder Severity Scale.
Need a clinician's read on your results?
A high score is a signal, not a diagnosis. Mindtalk's psychiatrists and clinical psychologists can interpret your results and recommend next steps — same-day appointments available.