A panic disorder is a psychological disorder whose predominant feature is recurring and repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by other physical symptoms. In such an attack, the person may feel that they are having a heart attack or other life threatening medical condition. A panic attack causes one of the most complex reactions in the human body, effecting the eyes, glands, brain, heart, lungs and just about every other major organ. Many people with the disorder develop intense anxiety between episodes. Persons with panic disorder will sometimes develop phobias about certain situations and places that they associate with having panic attacks. If the frequency of attacks increases, the avoidance may turn into agoraphobia or a generalized anxiety disorder.
Panic disorders affect about 1.7% of the adult U.S. population. Approximately 2.4 million Americans suffer from panic in a given year although women seem more prone to panic disorders than men do. Panic disorder is often a chronic, relapsing illness. For many, it will get worse
Treatment for panic disorders tends to be hard due to the fact that even after what appears to be effective treatment, panic attacks can reoccur for no reason. One of the most important skills for a sufferer of panic attacks to learn is coping skills. People are encouraged to not let panic dominate their lives. Cognitive-Behavioral therapy is also used to eliminate or modify thought patterns that contribute to the patient's symptoms. Proponents of this theory point out that, with the help of a therapist, one can avoid thoughts that can lead to or worsen panic attacks. Breathing exercises are often included in therapy. A patient learns to control their breathing to avoid hyperventilation, which can trigger or worsen panic attacks. Medication is also an option. There is a wide range of medications in use today for treatment of anxiety and panic. Most are quite effective and have few side effects but are not at all necessary for effective treatment. With these forms of treatment, panic disorders may not be eliminated, but the people sufferi
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