Recognizing Panic Disorder
If anxiety frequently causes problems in everyday life, at school, at work, or with friends and family, it could be a panic disorder.
Panic attacks are like “false alarms” where our body’s fight-or-flight survival instincts are active too often, too strongly, or a combination of both. For example, someone with panic disorder might feel their heart pounding and assume they’re having a heart attack. This can lead to a vicious cycle, where the fear of having a panic attack becomes powerful enough to trigger an attack, seemingly out of the blue.
What is Panic Disorder?
People with panic disorder have frequent and unexpected panic attacks characterized by a sudden wave of fear or discomfort or a sense of losing control, even when there is no clear danger or trigger.
Panic attacks can occur at any time, as frequently as several times a day, or as rarely as a few times a year. Many people with panic disorder worry about the possibility of having another attack and may significantly change their lives to avoid having another attack.
Not everyone who experiences a panic attack will develop panic disorder. It often begins in the late teens or early adulthood. Women are more likely than men to develop panic disorder.
Symptoms include:
Repeated, overwhelming panic attacks
Feeling out of control or fearing death during an attack
Constant worry about future attacks
Avoiding places where attacks have happened
Physical symptoms: racing heart, sweating, chills, trembling, shortness of breath, dizziness, numbness, chest/stomach pain, nausea.
Talk to your doctor
The first step to effective treatment is to get a diagnosis. When experiencing symptoms of panic disorder, start with a family doctor, who may conduct a physical exam to ensure that an unrelated physical problem is not causing the symptoms. If not, they may refer the patient to a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or clinical social worker.
Panic disorder is generally treated with psychotherapy, medication, or both. Both can take some time to work. Some people may need to try more than one medication before finding the combination that works best for them.
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