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FACTS on Panic Disorders
What is Panic Disorder?
An intense feeling of anxiety or terror characterized by a panic attack,
an uncontrollable and sudden reaction both psychological and biological.
Panic attacks are classified as part of a panic disorder when they occur
frequently and are accompanied by at least four of the symptoms listed below.
What Causes the Panic Attack?
Panic attacks are caused by a sudden threatening feeling
The sense of danger is so intense that a person may feel as is they are
dying or having a stroke.
When a person feels threatened in familiar places where there is
"seemingly nothing to be afraid of, " the body reacts as if there is a real
threat.
What are the Symptoms of a Panic Attack?
Sweating
Shortness of breath
Heart palpitations
Chest discomfort
Unsteady feelings
Choking or smothering sensations
Tingling
Hot or cold flashes
Faintness
Trembling
Nausea or abdominal distress
Feelings of unreality
Fears of losing control, dying, or going insane
What Happens After a Panic Attack?
After the first panic attack, the person begins to question the cause of it.
After several attacks, the person may begin to avoid places where the happened.
If left untreated, people may find themselves too afraid to go out in
public.
Eventually, this condition could lead to agoraphobia, a fear of leaving
the house.
What Can Be Done to Treat Panic Attacks?
The most successful treatment programs combine medication, cognitive
therapy, and behavioral therapy.
The psychiatrist must first conduct a full treatment history of the
sufferer to determine if there are any other illnesses, such as agoraphobia, anxiety,
or depression, in order to better treat him/her.
The psychiatrist will then try to ease the panic disorder’s symptoms
with education about the illness, medication and behavioral
treatment techniques.
The psychiatrist will aim to help the patient work against the anticipatory anxiety, the depression, agoraphobia, and anything else
that the panic disorder’s symptoms produced.
How Many Suffer from Panic Attacks?
More women than men are afflicted with panic disorder by a ratio of 2:1.
13 million Americans suffer from panic disorder or phobias.
Panic disorder costs billions of dollars per year in the U.S. for health
care expenses, disability benefits, and lost wages.
Panic disorder runs in the family, and it may be thought to pass
genetically.
With medication, 75-90% of sufferers can combat the illness.
Where To Go for Help?
Community Mental Health Centers
General Hospitals
Psychiatric Care Facilities
Mental Health Clinics
Family Service Agencies
Self-help Groups
Schools and Employers
*Information courtesy of the American Psychiatric Association
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