What is Panic Disorder?
The main features of Panic Disorder are unexpected Panic Attacks for at least 1 month with at least one of the following: a tendency to be preoccupied with the attacks or concern about having more attacks, fears that the attacks may mean the person has a serious medical condition or is going insane, or a change of behavior due to the attacks. These rushes of fear, which seem to come out of the blue, are associated with a number of intense physical symptoms and may include a sense of impending doom.
Panic Attacks include a rush of fear or discomfort that peaks within 10 minutes and includes at least 4 of the following symptoms: increased or pounding heart rate, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath, feelings of choking, chest discomfort, nausea or abdominal distress, dizziness, faintness, being lightheaded, feelings of unreality, fear of going crazy or losing control, fear of dying, numbness or tingling, or chills and hot flashes. You do not need to have all of these symptoms to have a panic attack.
Initially, before the diagnosis of Panic Disorder, people often believe they have a medical condition, usually of a catastrophic nature, like a heart attack or stroke. Sufferers may also believe they are losing their mind or going insane (which they are not).
Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia usually do not go away without treatment and can persist throughout a person’s life.
There are special types of Panic Attacks that some people have including nocturnal panic, non-fearful panic, relaxation induced panic, and non-clinical panic.
Panic Disorder often involves pockets of avoidance and safety behaviors (see below) and if left untreated can develop into Agoraphobia.
The most common time to develop Panic Disorder is in young adulthood but people can develop it at any point in life.
Up to 11.5 million Americans will develop Panic Disorder in their lifetime.
- Many people think they have to suffer with anxiety. This is not true!
- 33 million Americans will develop a Phobia in their lifetime!
- As many as 11.5 million Americans will develop Panic Disorder over the course of their lifetime.
- Panic Disorder is not caused by a chemical imbalance - no laboratory findings have been identified for Panic Disorder.
- Did you know that as many as 39 million Americans may suffer from debilitating Social Anxiety?
- The duration of Social Anxiety Disorder without treatment is often life-long.
- The Anxiety Disorders are the most common forms of mental health problem in the US, affecting 25-30% of the population over the course of the lifetime.
- In people who have Anxiety Disorders, it is very common to have more then one.
- It is very common to have Depression as a reaction to an Anxiety Disorder - more times then not the Anxiety Disorder occurred first and is the primary problem.
- Anxiety Disorders often goes undiagnosed and can cause other problems, like Depression. In these cases the Depression usually does not go away until the Anxiety Disorder is addressed.
- Women have Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia 2-3 times more frequently than men.