Panic Disorder
by Sue
People with
panic disorder have feelings of terror that strike suddenly and
repeatedly with no warning. They can't predict when an attack will
occur, and many develop intense anxiety between episodes, worrying
when and where the next one will strike. In between times there is a
persistent, lingering worry that another attack could come any
minute.
When a panic attack
strikes, most likely your heart pounds and you may feel sweaty,
weak, faint, or dizzy. Your hands may tingle or feel numb, and you
might feel flushed or chilled. You may have chest pain or smothering
sensations, a sense of unreality, or fear of impending doom or loss
of control. You may genuinely believe you're having a heart attack
or stroke, losing your mind, or on the verge of death. Attacks can
occur any time, even during nondream sleep. While most attacks
average a couple of minutes, occasionally they can go on for up to
10 minutes. In rare cases, they may last an hour or more.
Panic Attack Symptoms
Pounding heart
Chest pains
Lightheadedness or dizziness
Nausea or stomach problems
Flushes or chills
Shortness of breath or a
feeling of smothering or choking
Tingling or numbness
Shaking or trembling
Feelings of unreality
Terror
A feeling of being out of
control or going crazy
Fear of dying
Sweating
Panic disorder
strikes at least 1.6 percent of the population and is twice as
common in women as in men. It can appear at any age--in children or
in the elderly--but most often it begins in young adults. Not
everyone who experiences panic attacks will develop panic disorder--
for example, many people have one attack but never have another. For
those who do have panic disorder, though, it's important to seek
treatment. Untreated, the disorder can become very disabling.
Panic disorder is
often accompanied by other conditions such as depression or
alcoholism, and may spawn phobias, which can develop in places or
situations where panic attacks have occurred. For example, if a
panic attack strikes while you're riding an elevator, you may
develop a fear of elevators and perhaps start avoiding them.
Some people's lives
become greatly restricted--they avoid normal, everyday activities
such as grocery shopping, driving, or in some cases even leaving the
house. Or, they may be able to confront a feared situation only if
accompanied by a spouse or other trusted person. Basically, they
avoid any situation they fear would make them feel helpless if a
panic attack occurs. When people's lives become so restricted by the
disorder, as happens in about one-third of all people with panic
disorder, the condition is called agoraphobia. A tendency toward
panic disorder and agoraphobia runs in families. Nevertheless, early
treatment of panic disorder can often stop the progression to
agoraphobia.
Studies have shown
that proper treatment--a type of psychotherapy called
cognitive-behavioral therapy, medications, or possibly a combination
of the two--helps 70 to 90 percent of people with panic disorder.
Significant improvement is usually seen within 6 to 8 weeks.
Cognitive-behavioral approaches teach patients how to view the panic
situations differently and demonstrate ways to reduce anxiety, using
breathing exercises or techniques to refocus attention, for example.
Another technique used in cognitive-behavioral therapy, called
exposure therapy, can often help alleviate the phobias that may
result from panic disorder. In exposure therapy, people are very
slowly exposed to the fearful situation until they become
desensitized to it.
Some people find
the greatest relief from panic disorder symptoms when they take
certain prescription medications. Such medications, like
cognitive-behavioral therapy, can help to prevent panic attacks or
reduce their frequency and severity. Two types of medications that
have been shown to be safe and effective in the treatment of panic
disorder are antidepressants and benzodiazepines.