Which of the following best describes a Panic Attack?

A Panic Attack is characterized primarily by an intense and overwhelming sense of fear or discomfort that peaks within minutes. During this episode, individuals experience a variety of somatic symptoms, such as heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, or feelings of choking, alongside cognitive symptoms like a sense of impending doom or fear of losing control. The rapid onset and peak of these symptoms are what differentiate a panic attack from other anxiety-related experiences, making option B the most accurate representation of this phenomenon.

The other choices reflect different psychological conditions or concepts rather than the specific nature of a panic attack. Gradual onset of physical symptoms is inconsistent with the acute and sudden nature of panic attacks. Excessive fear of social evaluation pertains to social anxiety disorder, while the fear of harm coming to an attachment figure relates to attachment anxieties or possible trauma responses, which do not align with the immediate manifestations of a panic attack. Thus, the description of intense fear accompanied by both somatic and cognitive symptoms captures the essence of what constitutes a panic attack.