What is panic disorder
Panic Disorder can be an all encompassing feeling that can profoundly disrupt the sufferer’s life. Individuals with this disorder will often describe feeling as though they are out of control and even as if they are dying. The attack is usually unprovoked and can be accompanied by physical symptoms such as sweating, difficulty drawing a breath, and a rapid heartbeat. This disorder is often misdiagnosed and therefore people who have these symptoms may be subject to years of suffering and inappropriate treatment before they are actually diagnosed. Many emergency rooms see patients who are certain they are having a heart attack but find out after extensive and expensive testing that instead they are having a panic attack. Women seem to be more prone to this disorder and in fact are diagnosed with it twice as often as men.
Unfortunately, people are often insensitive to the plight of people with Panic Disorder and they are called everything from dramatic to manipulative. What makes the disorder unique and hard for many to relate to is that the attacks occur seemingly out of nowhere. They are typically not a response to some external stimuli. People seem to understand being afraid of “something” but can’t fathom just suddenly becoming afraid for your life. After someone has an initial panic attack they may associate the response to their circumstances at that moment. For instance, if they were driving on the freeway when they had the attack they may avoid driving on the freeway as a way to stave off another episode. The anxiety around the possibility of having another attack is part of this often debilitating experience.
There has been a great deal of research into Panic Disorder and is has become clear that sufferers seem to have a physiological predisposition which causes these individuals to have an over active flight or fight response. The studies have shown that the brains of these people have a chemical imbalance which involves the neurotransmitter serotonin.
Anyone who has suffered from this disorder can tell you how devastating and life-altering it can be. People become isolated and their families and careers can be disrupted. These individuals are more prone to depression and substance abuse then the general population and are often financially burdened in their quest to rule out other medical diagnoses. If you or someone you care about suffers from any of the above symptoms it is worth considering this as a possible diagnosis. Medication and cognitive behavioral techniques have been shown to be extremely effective in treating this disorder.
Difference between Panic Disorder and Panic Attack
The distinction between Panic disorder and panic attack is that It is possible to have a Panic Attack without having a diagnosis of Panic Disorder. Panic Attacks are a symptom of another mental health diagnosis such as Panic Disorder, Social Phobia, Specific Phobia, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or Acute Stress Disorder.
The Panic Attack itself can also be an isolated incident or recur a few times throughout a person’s life without warranting an actual diagnosis. The experience is, as mentioned above, a horrible feeling and is marked by 13 specific somatic (physical – relating to the body) symptoms of which the individual must have 4 in order for the experience to qualify as a Panic Attack.
The symptoms of Panic Attack, as stated in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) are as follows:
1. Palpitations.
2. Sweating.
3. Trembling or shaking.
4. Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering.
5. Feeling of choking.
6. Chest pain or discomfort.
7. Nausea or abdominal distress.
8. Dizziness or lightheadedness.
9. Derealization ( feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself).
10. Fear of losing control or “going crazy”.
11. Fear of dying.
12. Numbness or tingling.
13. Chills or hot flushes.
The DSM lists these symptoms (reference https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3777342/ ) but is very clear that a Panic Attack is not a specific disorder. Many people may experience a Panic Attack at some stressful point in their lives. Being stuck in an elevator is a common circumstance that brings on this event. But having an attack may be an isolated incident. If the frequency or severity of the attacks increases or fear of having another attack is disrupting one’s life then it may rise to the level of warranting a diagnosis.
reference : Gina Nelson Psychiatrist, Social Worker in Sacramento
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