According to PubMed Health, panic disorder is type of anxiety disorder in which you have repeated attacks of intense fear that something bad will happen. Just from the description, many of you may begin to suspect that you have it. I know I do. When my school got two bomb threats, I started having a panic/anxiety attack {If there's a difference, will someone tell me please!} Anyway, there is no discovered cause on panic disorder. Many specialists say that genes play a part. For example, if one twin has panic disorder, the other twin will have a 40% chance of getting it. Panic disorder is twice as common for women. Symptoms begin before age 25, but may lead into may thirty's. It's also more likely for children to have it, but they may not be diagnosed until they are older. You must have at least four of these symptoms during an attack to have Panic Disorder:
*Chest pain or discomfort
*Dizziness or faintness
*Fear of dying
*Fear of losing control or impending doom
*Feeling of choking
*Feelings of detachment
*Feelings of unreality
*Nausea or upset stomach
*Numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, or face
*Palpitations, fast heart rate, or pounding heart
*Sensation of shortness of breath or smothering
*Sweating, chills, or hot flashes
*Trembling or shaking
Panic attacks may include anxiety about being in a situation where an escape may be hard or impossible. A person with panic disorder lives in fear of another attack. They may be afraid to be alone or far from medical help. People with Panic Disorder may have symptoms of alcoholism, drug abuse, and depression. Many people with panic disorder first seek treatment in the emergency room, because the panic attack feels like a heart attack. There are many prescription drugs that are used to help people with this disorder. You can also go to therepy where you will learn how to understand and control distorted views of life stressors, such as other people's behavior or life events, recognize and replace panic-causing thoughts, and decrease the sense of helplessness, manage stress and relax when symptoms occur, and imagine the things that cause the anxiety, starting with the least fearful. Practice in the real-life situation to help you overcome your fears. To reduce the number or severity of the attacks eat at regular times, exercise regularly, get enough sleep, and avoid or reduce the amount of caffine consumed. I hope this helps you guys! Love ya'll, Dani.
