Panic Disorder and Panic Attack

“Panic disorder means an anxiety disorder characterized by reoccurring unexpected panic attacks. Panic attacks mean periods of intense fear that may include palpitations, sweating, trembling, breathlessness, numbness,  and feeling that something terrible is going to happen.”

What is a panic attack?

Panic attacks are sudden, unreasonable feelings of fear and anxiety that cause racing heart,  fast heart beating, and sweating. In some cases, people become so much fearful of these attacks and develop panic disorder,  which is a type of anxiety disorder. A panic attack can be prevented or stopped by anti-anxiety medication and therapy.

What Is The Panic Disorder

Panic Disorder is a type of disorder and causes panic attacks.  It is a feeling of terror while really there is no danger or terror.  The hormone adrenaline floods into the bloodstream, and place the body on high alert by doing the below-mentioned ailments.  The panic disorder patient may feel he is losing something.

How common are panic attacks?

Every year approximately 11% of Americans got panic attacks out of which approximately 2%  panic disorder developed.

Who can get panic attacks?

Any person can experience a panic attack, that relates to the below factors

• Age:  Mostly panic attacks first occur in teenagers.  But people of all ages can have a panic attack.

• Gender: Women are at the risk of twice the men developing panic attacks.

What are the causes of a panic attack?

The cause of the panic attacks is not known. The brain and nervous system play an important role in how a person perceives and handles fear and anxiety. However, it depends on the below factors,

• Family history: Anxiety disorder may run in families.  The cause may be genetic.

• Mental health:  People who are suffering from anxiety, depression,  or mental illness are more lying on your front of a panic attack. Certain changes in brain function may cause panic disorder.

• Substance abuse problems: Consumption of alcohol or drug addiction may increase the risk of panic attacks.

• Major life stress: Such as death, Jobless, divorce, physical causes i.e. becoming handicapped due to serious accidents, serious illness of dearest one, traumatic event, like sexual assault are responsible factors.

What are the symptoms of panic disorder?

Mostly panic attacks occur suddenly without warning.  There is no way to stop the panic attack after it starts.  However, symptoms may peak within a few minutes and disappear soon after.

Symptoms of panic attacks are as under

• Tingling or numb: Panic disorder Patient feels numbness in certain parts of body any time.

• Feeling hot or cold:  Patient feels their hand or leg or finger are  any time hot or  cold.

• Breathlessness: Due to anxiety or stress patient feels uneasy in taking breathe in   and breathe out.

• Chest pain: In many cases patient feels chest pain and frightened to  think  that  he got heart attack. Panic attacks

• Feeling stomach irritation: In many cases patient feels stomach irritation or fullness or pain in stomach and become traumatic. A leaky gut allows toxins to enter in the blood streams and creates an immunological response. Those persons who are not aware  about the gluten sensitivity, continues to over eating which cause inflammation and panic disorder.

• Excessive Social isolation: including studying alone in academic environments, children of parents of overprotective, controlling nature/habit leads to this disorder.

These symptoms are not dangerous but are very frightened.  Symptoms usually peak within a minute or two. The patient feels tired and worn out after the attack is subsides. 

One of the worst things about a panic attack is the intense fear that you will have another one soon.

A panic attack can occur without warning anytime and anywhere. Patients may live in fear of another attack.  It is more common in women than men. It usually starts at the age of young adults.  However, sometimes it starts when a person is under stress.  In most cases, patients get better with proper medical treatment along with therapy.  In some cases, life impairment can be resisted with the help of medication and therapy.  

How is panic disorder diagnosed?

Medical and mental health providers can diagnose panic disorder when patients have repeated panic attacks,

• Constantly worry about more panic attacks.

• Obsess about losing control during a panic attack.

• Change in behavior to avoid situations that may trigger a panic attack.

Panic Disorder Medication Management

Successful termination of panic attacks takes time. As in a panic attack patient feels fear, chest pain, and breathlessness, sweating, irritation in the stomach, etc. thus first of all doctor has to distinguish it from heart attack, elementary tract infection. The physician has to manage the case as per symptoms or situation.  In the matter of the above infections, manage the same by giving proper medicine of infection as well as a tranquilizer.

Psychotherapy

In addition to medication under the supervision of a medical specialist, therapy is also more important to move out from the curb of panic disorder. If the patient takes regular psychotherapy under the supervision of a psychotherapist in addition to medicine, he will feel improvement approximately in 10 to 20 weeks gradually.

Yoga Asan

Yoga is the most important and successful exercise.

• Take a long Breathe slowly, deeply, and gently through the nose and remain and count one to five.

• Then Breathe out in the same manner slowly, deeply, and gently through the mouth and count one to five.

• During the period of each breathe in and breathe out, carry out counting one to five.

• Close both eyes and keep your focus only on the activity.

• Perform the activity 10 minutes constantly and regularly two to three times a day.

Morning walk and regular exercise

Perform regular morning walk 4 to 5 kilometers daily. In the evening do 10 minutes walk daily after taking dinner? In addition to morning walks, physical exercise is also necessary.

Do physical exercise for approximately thirty minutes regularly.

Frequently Asked Question Panic Disorder and Panic Attack