What is a Panic Attack?

A panic attack is terrifying feeling that you are going to die, have a heart attack, or completely lose control and go crazy. These intense bouts of terror typically last between 1-20 minutes. Sufferers are often very frightened by the extreme physical symptoms of a panic attack, which sends them further into panic and confusion.


What is Panic Disorder?

When an individual suffers regularly from panic attacks, they are said to have panic disorder. He or she lives in constant fear of the next panic attack. This condition can send one into a downward spiral of depression, shame, guilt, embarrassment, hopelessness, virtual insanity, self-medication and agoraphobia.


What is Agoraphobia?

This is an intense fear of being in a physical situation where escape might be difficult or impossible. Many sufferers of panic disorder become agoraphobic, living in constant fear of the next panic attack. As the condition worsens, his or her world continually shrinks as there are fewer ‘safe’ places they can go without fearing another panic attack.


What are Examples of Situations Agoraphobics Fear?

• Taking crowded public transportation
• Flying
• Movie theaters
• Driving in traffic
• Elevators
• Large open public spaces
• High-rise buildings
• Being amongst crowds of any size
• Waiting in lines

What Causes Panic Disorder

Like social anxiety, the exact cause of panic disorder hasn’t been identified. Traumatic experiences, abusive childhood, and heredity may all be factors. For many with panic disorder, stress and anxiety have been a constant issue throughout their lives.


What are Symptoms of a Panic Attack?

Many doctors believe that when we experience anxiety, we are tapping into the body’s inherent fight-or-flight mechanism. This relates to the following symptoms of panic attacks:

• A feeling that you may die
• Intense feeling that you will lose control
• Pounding, rapid heartbeat (many feel they are having a heart attack)
• Shortness of breath
• Dilation of pupils
• A sudden swell of nervous energy
• Sweating
• Shallow breathing
• Feeling disconnected from reality
• Tremendous tension throughout the body
• Lightheadedness, feeling that one may faint
• Extreme indigestion or nausea

How Many People Suffer from Panic Disorder?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIHM):

• Approximately 6 million American adults ages 18 and older have panic disorder.¹
• Panic disorder typically develops in early adulthood (median age of onset is 24), but the age of onset extends throughout adulthood.⁵
• About one in three people with panic disorder develops agoraphobia, a condition in which the individual becomes afraid of being in any place or situation where escape might be difficult or help unavailable in the event of a panic attack.¹²

References

1. Kessler RC, Chiu WT, Demler O, Walters EE. Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of twelve-month DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R). Archives of General Psychiatry, 2005 Jun;62(6):617-27.

5. Kessler RC, Berglund PA, Demler O, Jin R, Walters EE. Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R). Archives of General Psychiatry. 2005 Jun;62(6):593-602.

12. Robins LN, Regier DA, eds. Psychiatric disorders in America: the Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study. New York: The Free Press, 1991.