What is Panic Disorder?
Imagine you've just stepped into an elevator and suddenly your heart races, your chest aches, you break out in a cold sweat and feel as if the elevator is about to crash to the ground. What's happening?
Imagine you are driving home from the grocery store and suddenly things seem to be out of control. You feel hot flashes, things around you blur, you can't tell where you are, and you feel as if you're dying. What's happening?
What's happening is a panic attack, an uncontrollable panic response to ordinary, nonthreatening situations. Panic attacks are often an indication that a person has panic disorder.
A person who experiences recurrent panic attacks, at least one of which leads to at least a month of increased anxiety or avoidant behavior, is said to have panic disorder. Panic disorder may also be indicated if a person experiences fewer than four panic episodes but has recurrent or constant fears of having another panic attack.
Symptoms of Panic Disorder:
To be diagnosed as having panic disorder, a person must experience at least four of the following symptoms during a panic attack:
sweating
hot or cold flashes
choking or smothering sensations
racing heart
labored breathing
trembling
chest pains
faintness
numbness
nausea
disorientation
feelings of dying, losing control, or losing one's
mind.
Panic attacks typically last about 10 minutes, but may be
a few minutes shorter or longer. During the attack, the
physical
and emotional symptoms increase quickly in a
crescendo-like way and
then subside. A person may feel
anxious and jittery for many hours
after experiencing a
panic attack.
"Hope is necessary in every condition."
Samuel Johnson
1709-1784
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