ons for developing this disorder is not clear. There is, however, a significant risk to individuals who have a family history of this disorder. Major life changes can also contribute to its development, such as having a baby, losing a job, severe stress, divorce and even marriage.

Signs and symptoms

A true panic attack includes four or more of these symptoms: shortness of breath, accelerated heart rate or palpitations, feeling of choking, sweating, chest discomfort, nausea, stomach distress, fear of dying, feeling of numbness or tingling, fear of going crazy and losing control and hot or cold flashes.

A panic diso

The feeling is intense and unpleasant. Your heart races, sweat covers your brow and back, your hands are cold and your breath comes in short, shallow gulps. You want to run away, everywhere is like a deadend and no matter what you do or where you go, the feeling of dread follows you.

Sounds like a bad dream, doesn’t it? But it’s an actual, uncomfortable feeling and is known as a panic attack. At least 2 million American adults suffer from this disorder by itself and millions more actually suffer from episodes as a result of a stressful environment or situation.

What is it?

A panic attack is a sudden and unforeseen surge of intense and overwhelming fear and discomfort. It usually comes without an obvious reason and can happen at any time. Panic attacks are intensely terrifying and are quite debilitating, preventing a person to temporarily lose control of his emotions and can last from 10 minutes to half an hour.

Contrary to what most people believe, panic attacks are quite common. It occurs annually in more than 33% of adults and may either be an isolated case or as a symptom of a more serious condition like panic disorder, agoraphobia, anxiety or depression and even substance abuse.

It is a chronic condition and its intensity and frequency tend to fluctuate over time. Women are twice more likely to suffer from panic attack disorders than men and those over 35 are less likely to develop it.

It is quite normal to feel panic during highly stressful situations like emergencies (during fires), social gatherings (like public speaking) or situations that induce stress and nervousness (like being on top of a tall building) and should not be a cause for worry for most people. A panic attack only becomes a concern when it occurs without a reason and threatens the safety and health of the person who suffers from it.

Is it a panic attack or just anxiety?

Panic attacks are sudden yet shorter episodes of intense dread or fear while anxiety is longer, less intense and develops more gradually. It is usually easier to know and understand the underlying cause of anxiety but panic attacks occur with no clear reason. Some sufferers even experience one even when they are relaxed.

A single episode or even several episodes of intense panic attacks do not necessarily result to panic disorder. It is only when the frequency of attacks increase that a disorder might be considered.

What causes it?

Although no single thing is said to cause a panic attack episode, the reasons for developing this disorder is not clear. There is, however, a significant risk to individuals who have a family history of this disorder. Major life changes can also contribute to its development, such as having a baby, losing a job, severe stress, divorce and even marriage.

Signs and symptoms

A true panic attack includes four or more of these symptoms: shortness of breath, accelerated heart rate or palpitations, feeling of choking, sweating, chest discomfort, nausea, stomach distress, fear of dying, feeling of numbness or tingling, fear of going crazy and losing control and hot or cold flashes.

A panic disor

en surge of intense and overwhelming fear and discomfort. It usually comes without an obvious reason and can happen at any time. Panic attacks are intensely terrifying and are quite debilitating, preventing a person to temporarily lose control of his emotions and can last from 10 minutes to half an hour.

Contrary to what most people believe, panic attacks are quite common. It occurs annually in more than 33% of adults and may either be an isolated case or as a symptom of a more serious condition like panic disorder, agoraphobia, anxiety or depression and even substance abuse.

It is a chronic condition and its intensity and frequency tend to fluctuate over time. Women are twice more likely to suffer from panic attack disorders than men and those over 35 are less likely to develop it.

It is quite normal to feel panic during highly stressful situations like emergencies (during fires), social gatherings (like public speaking) or situations that induce stress and nervousness (like being on top of a tall building) and should not be a cause for worry for most people. A panic attack only becomes a concern when it occurs without a reason and threatens the safety and health of the person who suffers from it.

Is it a panic attack or just anxiety?

Panic attacks are sudden yet shorter episodes of intense dread or fear while anxiety is longer, less intense and develops more gradually. It is usually easier to know and understand the underlying cause of anxiety but panic attacks occur with no clear reason. Some sufferers even experience one even when they are relaxed.

A single episode or even several episodes of intense panic attacks do not necessarily result to panic disorder. It is only when the frequency of attacks increase that a disorder might be considered.

What causes it?

Although no single thing is said to cause a panic attack episode, the reasons for developing this disorder is not clear. There is, however, a significant risk to individuals who have a family history of this disorder. Major life changes can also contribute to its development, such as having a baby, losing a job, severe stress, divorce and even marriage.

Signs and symptoms

A true panic attack includes four or more of these symptoms: shortness of breath, accelerated heart rate or palpitations, feeling of choking, sweating, chest discomfort, nausea, stomach distress, fear of dying, feeling of numbness or tingling, fear of going crazy and losing control and hot or cold flashes.

A panic diso

and frequency tend to fluctuate over time. Women are twice more likely to suffer from panic attack disorders than men and those over 35 are less likely to develop it.

It is quite normal to feel panic during highly stressful situations like emergencies (during fires), social gatherings (like public speaking) or situations that induce stress and nervousness (like being on top of a tall building) and should not be a cause for worry for most people. A panic attack only becomes a concern when it occurs without a reason and threatens the safety and health of the person who suffers from it.

Is it a panic attack or just anxiety?

Panic attacks are sudden yet shorter episodes of intense dread or fear while anxiety is longer, less intense and develops more gradually. It is usually easier to know and understand the underlying cause of anxiety but panic attacks occur with no clear reason. Some sufferers even experience one even when they are relaxed.

A single episode or even several episodes of intense panic attacks do not necessarily result to panic disorder. It is only when the frequency of attacks increase that a disorder might be considered.

What causes it?

Although no single thing is said to cause a panic attack episode, the reasons for developing this disorder is not clear. There is, however, a significant risk to individuals who have a family history of this disorder. Major life changes can also contribute to its development, such as having a baby, losing a job, severe stress, divorce and even marriage.

Signs and symptoms

A true panic attack includes four or more of these symptoms: shortness of breath, accelerated heart rate or palpitations, feeling of choking, sweating, chest discomfort, nausea, stomach distress, fear of dying, feeling of numbness or tingling, fear of going crazy and losing control and hot or cold flashes.

A panic diso

?

Panic attacks are sudden yet shorter episodes of intense dread or fear while anxiety is longer, less intense and develops more gradually. It is usually easier to know and understand the underlying cause of anxiety but panic attacks occur with no clear reason. Some sufferers even experience one even when they are relaxed.

A single episode or even several episodes of intense panic attacks do not necessarily result to panic disorder. It is only when the frequency of attacks increase that a disorder might be considered.

What causes it?

Although no single thing is said to cause a panic attack episode, the reasons for developing this disorder is not clear. There is, however, a significant risk to individuals who have a family history of this disorder. Major life changes can also contribute to its development, such as having a baby, losing a job, severe stress, divorce and even marriage.

Signs and symptoms

A true panic attack includes four or more of these symptoms: shortness of breath, accelerated heart rate or palpitations, feeling of choking, sweating, chest discomfort, nausea, stomach distress, fear of dying, feeling of numbness or tingling, fear of going crazy and losing control and hot or cold flashes.

A panic diso

ons for developing this disorder is not clear. There is, however, a significant risk to individuals who have a family history of this disorder. Major life changes can also contribute to its development, such as having a baby, losing a job, severe stress, divorce and even marriage.

Signs and symptoms

A true panic attack includes four or more of these symptoms: shortness of breath, accelerated heart rate or palpitations, feeling of choking, sweating, chest discomfort, nausea, stomach distress, fear of dying, feeling of numbness or tingling, fear of going crazy and losing control and hot or cold flashes.

A panic disorder leaves the sufferer with a feeling of anticipatory anxiety or phobic avoidance. Anticipatory anxiety can hamper an individual’s normal functioning and is usually felt between attacks. Instead of the sufferer feeling relaxed and relieved, he is overwhelmed by a feeling of fear about a future attack, so he wastes time worrying about when and if another attack is forthcoming.

Phobic avoidance occurs when a sufferer begins to avoid certain places and situations where a previous panic attack was experienced, believing that these situations contributed to the episode. He may also begin to avoid places where he would be alone or enclosed and helpless, like theaters, airplanes and shopping malls, thereby limiting his mobility.

Diagnosis

A panic disorder is quite difficult to nail down because its symptoms are similar to other physical and medical conditions. A thorough check should allow a medical practitioner to eliminate certain medical conditions first as the cause of the symptom before it is diagnosed as a panic disorder.

Treatments

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT is generally considered as the most effective form of psychotherapy treatment for panic attacks and panic disorders. It involves changing a patient’s thinking patterns to help develop ways to cope with his fears and anxieties.

A patient learns about the nature of the disorder and what signs and symptoms he can expect. Knowing his disorder better will help the patient understand that it can be managed. He is also taught how to identify automatic and irrational thoughts during panic attacks, which exaggerate the feeling of fear and helplessness. Once a patient understands that thoughts are only exaggerations, he will learn to manage his panic more effectively.

Gradual exposure to situations that induce a panic attack may also be utilized for treatment. Physical sensations similar to those experienced during an attack are induced on the patient under controlled conditions. The patient then learns that the situation is not really dangerous and that he can control his emotions to avoid an attack.

Medication may also be prescribed as part of treatment and these usually come in the form of antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs. Antidepressants may be an effective drug to treat panic attacks successfully, although it may take several weeks of medication before they actually work. Anti-anxiety drugs offer fast relief during severe attacks but they are very addictive and may be prescribed only under carefu