Panic Disorder

 Individuals with panic disorder regularly suffer intense episodes of anxiety, known as panic attacks. They worry a lot about having more attacks, or about what effects of the attacks, and make changes to their behaviors because of the attacks.

Panic attacks begin suddenly and usually peak quickly, within 10 minutes or less of starting. Multiple attacks of different intensities may occur over several hours, which might feel as if one panic attack is rolling into the next, like waves. At first, panic attacks usually seem to come ‘out of the blue,’ but over time a person may come to expect them in certain situations. If a person begins to avoid these situations due to fear of a panic attack, they may also have agoraphobia.

These intense anxiety attacks include 4 or more of the following symptoms:

• shortness of breath

•  increased heart beats

• trembling, shaking

• dizziness

• chest pain

• sweating

• chills or hot flashes

• feelings of unreality or being detached from oneself

• numbing or tingling sensations

• nausea

• choking sensations

• fear of dying

• fear of insanity or of losing control

For more information visit: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/panic-disorder-when-fear-overwhelms/index.shtml