Nate was riding the bus home one day when he suddenly felt hot and sweaty, and short of breath. He realized that his heart was racing and he felt dizzy. Nate feared that he was dying or going crazy. He got off the bus, went to the emergency room and was told that he was fine. Which of the following best describes this experience?

a. true alarm response

b. phobic reaction

c. panic attack

d. anxious apprehension

c. panic attack

Explanation:

Panic attack: In psychology, the term panic attack defined as the unexpected or sudden arrival of extremely intense fear, terror, or apprehension that usually arises without a well-defined cause. Panic attack often leads to panic disorder.

Psychological symptoms: Fear of dying, losing control, etc.

Physical symptoms: Heart palpitations, chest pain, breathlessness, etc.

Causes: Stress, medical conditions, etc.

In the question above, the given statement is best describes the experience in terms of panic attacks.