Panic Disorder and Panic Attacks

Symptoms when Panic Strikes

What is a panic attack?

A panic attack is a sudden episode or period of intense fear, accompanied by a range of physical symptoms or reactions. Panic attacks last usually from 5 to 30 minutes, and often occur unexpectedly.

Panic attacks usually involve one or more of the following symptoms (Mayo Clinic Website):

• A sense of impending doom or death
• Rapid heart rate
• Sweating
• Trembling
• Shortness of breath
• Hyperventilation
• Chills
• Hot flashes
• Nausea
• Abdominal cramping
• Chest pain
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Faintness
• Tightness in your throat
• Trouble swallowing

Many people, whether or not they have an anxiety disorder, experience panic attacks over the course of their lifetime. Having a panic attack, does not mean one has "Panic Disorder."

Panic Disorder is characterized by having

• Repeated, unexpected panic attacks
• At least one attack that has been followed by at least one month of
• Worry about having another attack
• Worry about what having a panic attack means, or the consequences of a panic attack; for instance, worrying about "going crazy," or "losing control."
• Panic attacks are NOT triggered by things or situations which may be caused by another anxiety disorder. Such as:
• Feared social situations. This may be a sign of Social Phobia
• Specific places, things or situations, such as heights, animals, enclosed spaces. These may be signs of specific phobias.
• Things that are seen as "contaminating." This may be Obsessive-Compulsive disorder
• Memories or reminders of a traumatic event. This may be Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.

Source: http://www.medical-look.com/Mental_health/Panic_disorder.html

People with panic disorder may worry that they're having a heart attack, or other physical problems. Often people with panic disorder end up going to the emergency room much more than the average person.

Panic disorder can occur WITH or WITHOUT agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is a worry or fear of being in a place from which escape might be difficult or embarrassing. People are usually worried that they might not be able to escape easily or to get help if they have a panic attack, or panic-like symptoms. Situations people might avoid include:

• Being outside the home alone
• Driving or being in a car or bus, being on a train, or a plane
• Being on a bridge
• Standing in line
• Crowds

An example of panic disorder with agoraphobia:

Judy had always been a highly strung person, but it had never before been a major problem. About a year ago, when taking a car trip by herself, she found herself having what felt like a heart attack. Her heart started beating very rapidly, she felt an extreme pain and tightness in her chest, she was sweating, yet did not feel hot. She worried that she might be dying. She pulled over to the side of the road and called her husband to come pick her up. Her husband took her to the ER — but the doctors and nurses could find nothing physically wrong with her, and that she may have experienced a panic attack.

After this, Judy became afraid of having more panic attacks, as they made her feel so out of control. Whenever she had any physical symptoms that were similar, such as dizziness or chest pain, she would worry that she was going to have a panic attack. Rather than keep her from having panic attacks, this worrying seemed to bring them on more frequently. Judy began to avoid driving in fear that she would have a panic attack and lost control of the car. As time went on, Judy's panic attacks increased — she began to have one every few days, and in between, have smaller "attacks" of one or two physical symptoms such as a fast heart beat or chest pain a few times a day. After awhile, she began to be afraid of going places by herself because she was afraid that she would have a panic attack, and wouldn't know what to do. She began to make sure that her husband was with her wherever she went.

Links and Resources

• Britain's National Health Service "Choices" Program, a Personal Story on Overcoming Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia: YouTube Video - Panic attacks real story
• Article about A teen overcoming Panic Disorder on ABC News

Fill out the following questionnaire to see if you might be suffering from Panic Disorder: PDSS

Learn about Treatments for Panic Disorder >>