What is Panic Disorder?
50% of all adults have experienced a panic attack at some point in their life. If you are experiencing frequent panic attacks that often occur out of the blue and you are afraid of having more, you may be suffering from panic disorder. The most common fears people with panic disorder have are a fear of dying, going crazy, and/or losing control.
The most common physical sensations people experience during a panic attack are:
Panic Disorder
- Feeling dizzy, light headed or faint
- Difficulty catching one’s breath
- Rapid, pounding or fluttering heart
- Tightness in one’s chest or throat
- Nausea or abdominal cramping
- Sweating, shaking and trembling
- Numbness or tingling
- Derealization (things don’t seem real) and/or depersonalization (thoughts and feelings seem unreal or not belonging to oneself)
Panic symptoms are similar to physical illnesses like heart attacks. People experiencing panic for the first time often go to the emergency room because they are worried they are having a heart attack. While panic attacks themselves are harmless, it is important to rule out an underlying illness that may cause panic like symptoms.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is an effective treatment for panic disorder. It teaches people how to respond to physical sensations differently and slowly face the situations they have been avoiding allowing them to live more fully with less anxiety.
