Panic disorder is said to represent anxiety in its most extreme form. Individuals affected by this disorder experience sudden, recurring panic attacks which cause severe feelings of impending doom and intense apprehension. Since the panic attacks are so severe, they tend to have a tremendous impact on a person’s ability to function in their everyday life.
When do Panic Attacks Occur?
Panic attack onset is usually quite sudden, without any warning. Within 10-15 minutes, they can build to a peak of intensity. Panic attacks rarely last longer than half an hour, but further attacks may continue to recur for several hours.
Panic attacks can be terrifying for the person experiencing them. In the midst of a panic attack, the person may think that they are dying, going crazy or losing control of their emotions or behaviour. They usually experience a strong urge to run away and escape the place where the attack began. Some people experience chest pains with panic attacks and may consequently believe that they are having a heart attack and seek emergency medical care.
Every panic disorder sufferer is different, which is why people experience panic attacks with varying frequency and severity. Some people may have weekly panic attacks; other people may experience clusters of panic attacks that don’t then recur for several months.
Since panic attacks occur spontaneously, without exposure to an anxiety-producing situation, once a person has experienced one panic attack, they tend to worry about when the next attack will happen. This can lead to a situation where a panic disorder sufferer avoid situations or locations in an attempt to avoid a panic attack.
Facts About Panic Disorder
The following is a list of facts about panic disorder:
- Approximately 2-4% of the population experiences panic disorder at some point in their lifetime;
- Women are twice as likely to be affected than men;
- Age of onset is somewhere between mid-adolescence and mid-adulthood;
- The earlier the onset, the more severe the disorder tends to be;
- Panic disorder rarely begins after the age of 50;
- 50-60% of sufferers of panic disorder also suffer with major depression;
- 20-30% of people with panic disorder will go on to abuse illegal drugs or alcohol;
- 30% of people with panic disorder also suffer with social anxiety or social phobia; and
- 25% of people with panic disorder also suffer from Generalised Anxiety Disorder.
Signs and Symptoms of Panic Disorder
Panic attacks can produce physical and mental symptoms that include:
- Palpitations;
- Shortness of breath;
- Sweating;
- Choking sensation;
- Feeling like there’s a lump in the throat;
- Weakness or trembling;
- Chest pain;
- Abdominal pain;
- Nausea;
- Diarrhoea;
- Dizziness;
- Being unable to think clearly;
- Rapid speech;
- Pacing; and
- Exaggerated startle reaction.
How Panic Disorder is Treated
The good news for people suffering with panic disorder is that it is highly treatable. Mainly, treatment is a combination of a cognitive or behavioural therapy and relaxation techniques, but sometimes medication may also be necessary.
Cognitive behavior therapy can help people with panic disorder to overcome the fear that they are going crazy are having a heart attack. The cognitive method teaches them to replace negative, unhelpful thoughts with more positive, realistic thoughts.
Behavioural therapy typically involves desensitisation, which helps the person to learn that there is nothing to be feared from the symptoms of a panic attack. Behavioural therapy can also help with any issues of avoidance related to the panic disorder.
Anxiety at the Extreme
Panic disorder is one of the most severe forms of anxiety and can be extremely distressing for people who experience it on a regular basis. The symptoms can lead people to think that they’re dying and can lead to them avoiding leaving the safety of their homes altogether.
Fortunately, treatment through therapy and relaxation techniques is highly effective and many people with panic disorder are able to regain control of their symptoms.
Sources:
Evans, D and Allen, H (2009) Mental Health Nursing Made Incredibly Easy, London, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
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