Our project will be designed to help University of Waterloo students who are subject to a surprise panic attack. According to the National College Health Assessment in Spring 2019, 16.8% of University of Waterloo students had been diagnosed or treated by a professional for an anxiety disorder in the previous 12 months, and 64.5% of them had felt overwhelming anxiety in the previous 12 months [1]. In a sample conducted by The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 39.4% of patients with generalized anxiety disorder had experienced an unexpected panic attack before [2]. Waterloo’s student body in Fall 2022 was 42,000 students [3]. By applying generalized anxiety disorder to 16.8% of the student body, we can predict that about 2,780 students will experience a surprise panic attack.

Surprise panic attacks are a challenge faced by many University of Waterloo students, especially those who have a history with anxiety. According to Anxiety Canada, “a panic attack is a sudden surge of intense fear or discomfort that comes on fast, reaches a peak within minutes,” and includes at least four of several symptoms, including heart palpitations, sweating, and a fear of going crazy or dying [4]. Panic attacks are very unenjoyable, and a person going through a panic attack will be unable to think and function properly, which can create a dangerous situation for the person and the people around them. Additionally, a panic attack may result in the victim feeling extremely tired afterward [5]. If the problem of panic attacks is solved, people who are subject to surprise anxiety attacks will have to worry less about a sudden panic attack complicating their lives, improving their quality of life.

Some people who experience panic attacks also face another challenge, the development of panic disorders [6]. Panic disorders, which are a form of anxiety disorder, can result in more panic attacks, especially surprise panic attacks. People who suffer from panic disorders also experience anxiety about getting a panic attack, affecting their overall mental well-being.

The customer base, which includes all students from the University of Waterloo, is centered in the city of Waterloo, Ontario. The demographics of the population includes students from Canada, and also international students. Additionally, at any given time there are remote students and those who are on co-op terms or breaks, who may not reside in Waterloo. Students from the University of Waterloo vary in age, but a large number of students are in the ages 18-25, with both high and low outliers from younger and older students.

[1] American College Health Association, "University of Waterloo Executive Summary," National College Health Assessment (NCHA II), Spring 2019. [Online]. Available: https://borealisdata.ca/api/access/datafile/411468.

[2] M. Van Ameringen, W. Simpson, B. Patterson, and C. Mancini, “Panic Attacks in Generalized Anxiety Disorder,” The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, vol. 201, no. 1, pp. 52–55, Jan. 2013, doi: 10.1097/NMD.0b013e31827ab1f6.

[3] University of Waterloo, "Quick facts," Sep. 3, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://uwaterloo.ca/about/facts.

[4] Dr. Melanie Badali, R.Psych., "Understanding Panic Attacks," Anxiety Canada, Feb. 26, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.anxietycanada.com/articles/understanding-panic-attacks/.

[5] C. Richmond, "What Happens During a Panic Attack?," WebMD, Feb. 26, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/panic-attack-happening.

[6] Better Health Channel, “Panic attack,” Better Health Channel. [Online]. Available: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/panic-attack.