Minutes, not hours - NIMH puts the range at a few minutes to an hour.
The wave surges fast, peaks within about ten minutes, and subsides because the body cannot sustain that alarm state; the aftermath - exhaustion and dread of the next one - is what lingers. Knowing the time limit is itself a treatment tool: slow breathing plus the reminder that it peaks and passes.
What to do
Common questions
How long does a panic attack last?
Minutes, not hours - per NIMH, a panic attack lasts from a few minutes to an hour, sometimes longer in edge cases. The shape of the wave matters for coping: fear and physical symptoms surge fast, peak within about ten minutes, and then subside, because the body cannot chemically sustain that alarm state indefinitely. What lingers is the aftermath - exhaustion, shakiness, and the dread of the next one, which can color the rest of the day. Knowing the time limit is itself a treatment tool: during an attack, slow breathing and the deliberate reminder that this peaks and passes help most people ride it out. Two boundaries to respect. Chest pain, fainting, or symptoms that do not follow the rise-and-fall pattern deserve medical evaluation, not assumption. And attacks that keep recurring, especially with persistent worry about the next one, are panic disorder territory - very treatable with therapy and sometimes medication. If you are ever in crisis, call or text 988 in the US, or your local crisis line. Pymander, a free AI doctor available 24/7 by text, can help you build a coping plan.