Panic Disorder Information and Resources

Introduction

Panic disorder can be a psychologically and emotionally crippling disease for many sufferers. Its sudden, inexplicable onset, difficulty to diagnose, and stigma attached to any mental disorder can cause its sufferers to want to hide from the world and lead very unfulfilling lives. Often, other mental and physical disorders can exist concomitant with panic disorder. Fortunately, once it is properly diagnosed, there are many effective treatments available for panic disorder.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety can be described as a normal reaction to stress. It actually has a function, helping one cope with changes, events and daily life. Anxiety becomes problematic, however, when one begins to experience excessive, irrational dread and fear about everyday situations. There are five major classifications of anxiety disorders, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Panic Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Social Anxiety Disorder. Various types of treatments are available for each of these anxiety disorders to help those who experience anxiety to lead a more normal, more fulfilling life.

What is a Panic Disorder?

A panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder that is manifested through unprovoked, unexpected, repeated occurrences of intense fear or terrors which come on without warning and are usually out of proportion to one’s situation at the time. Symptoms of panic disorder include panic “attacks,” which are characterized by heart palpitations, sweating, dizziness or numbness. Panic disorder is said to affect 6 million Americans, according to the National Institute for Mental Health, and is found more often in women than in men. Panic disorder usually begins in adolescence or young adulthood and may be an inherited disorder. It can be accompanied by or contribute to other mental illnesses such as depression, phobias, drug or alcohol abuse.

What are Panic Attacks?

Panic attacks are a symptom of panic disorder in which the sufferer experiences real, physical symptoms along with their fear or terror. Symptoms often mimic a heart attack and include racing heartbeat, clammy skin, a feeling of unreality, chest pain, nausea, dizziness and fainting. Many experiencing panic attacks fear that they will die or lose control. It is possible to have just one single panic attack, but most who experience them will have repeated panic attacks over time, qualifying them as having panic disorder.

What are the Symptoms and Signs of Panic Disorders?

Some people who experience panic disorder may experience different symptoms, but most will experience what is termed a panic attack. Symptoms of this include a sudden feeling of fear, trouble breathing, pounding heart, nausea, dizziness, fear of dying or losing control, sweating, feeling hot or cold, numbness, and trembling. Panic disorder is diagnosed when you have repeated panic attacks, constantly worry about having another panic attack, feel anxious and tense in between panic attacks, and behave differently due to these fears. This may involve avoiding situations and settings where you fear you’ll have a panic attack. Panic disorder can seriously disrupt one’s normal life and destroy one’s self-confidence.

What are the Causes of Panic Disorders?

It is unknown exactly what triggers the development of panic disorder, but scientists believe that heredity plays a part. Other triggers could be major life transitions and stressors, such as graduating from college, getting married, having a baby, divorce, job loss or death of a loved one. In some cases, panic disorders can be brought on by physical illnesses. Withdrawal from certain medications can cause symptoms that resemble panic disorder. Use of stimulant drugs, hyperthyroidism, hypoglycemia, and mitral valve prolapsed are all conditions that can bring on symptoms of panic attacks, and should be investigated by a physician.

Influence of Drugs and Alcohol on Panic Disorders

Some who suffer from panic disorder resort to the use (and often abuse) of drugs or alcohol to control symptoms. However, this usually just masks the problem, or makes it worse, and is not an effective treatment. According to the NIMH, 30% of people with panic disorder are also alcohol abusers. Sometimes this happens in response to the disease, as a person tries to cope with feelings of unreality and hopelessness. Using and abusing drugs and alcohol only creates more problems for the person suffering from panic disorder. Usually an addiction requires treatment along with the panic disorder, making it that much harder to recover.

Diagnosis and Treatments

Diagnosis of panic disorder must be confirmed before treatment can begin. A physician needs to rule out physical illnesses such as epilepsy, hyperthyroidism and heart problems before he or she is able to treat panic disorder effectively. Once diagnosed, a variety of treatments are available. These include cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps get to the root of a patient’s fear and makes him or her face that fear; medications, such as benzodiazepines, antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors; and psychodynamic treatment, or group therapy, in which patients with panic disorder talk to a therapist and each other about symptoms and coping strategies. Often a combination of treatments is used (such as cognitive behavioral therapy and medications) to help a patient overcome panic disorder.

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