Panic Disorder

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The purpose of this paper is to understand Panic Disorder and symptoms, types of the disorder, treatment, and relation to other disorders and how it affects people in general. Included, is a case study of Sarah who suffered with a panic disorder. Panic Disorder is when someone experiences unexpected panic attacks followed by at least one month of persistent concern about having another panic attack, worrying about the possible consequences of the panic attacks, or a behavioral change related to the attacks (Millon, 1996, p.559). Panic Disorder is not a disease. It may be assessed, but not definitively diagnosed. This disorder is distressing and disabling, physically, psychologically, and socially (Harvard, 2000, p.1). One symptom of Panic Disorder is unexpected panic attacks. At least two panic attacks are required for diagnosis. Attacks may last from several seconds to several minutes. Doctors believe that every attack has a situational trigger and an essential feature (Morrison, 1995, p.402). Another symptom of the disorder is constant concern and worry. The most common trait found in all Panic Disorder patients is a fear of being embarrassed. When a person takes an attack once they are paranoid for up to three months about going into public for fear of taking another attack. People diagnosed with panic disorder experience great anticipation and are very anxious when they look forward. They often worry and think of the worst possible outcomes, and at night, nightmares often

occur. Panic disorder patients often assume that they have an undiagnosed disease or think they are going crazy (Harvard, 2000, p.8). Sarah, also experienced severe anxiety in social situations. She had a terrible fear of having another attack, fear of losing consciousness, and a fear of embarrassment in social situations. Sarah had suffered in her sleep as well. Constant nightmares persisted, causing lack of sufficient sleep. Sarah felt she was going crazy, because of the fact that she didnt know what was wrong with her. One symptom of this disorder is behavioral change. Depression is a very common trait in people who suffer with panic disorder. The rate of attempted suicide is twenty times higher among individuals with panic disorder than the general population (Morrison, 1995, p.403). Many people with panic disorder also suffer from alcoholism. People with panic disorder often have great anticipation. Physical conditions are another one of the symptoms of panic disorder. Panic disorder effects physical features of a persons body such as high blood pressure, loss of bladder control, chemical change in ones body, prolapsed and thyroid disease. During the attack a person can experience excessive sweating, chills, chocking, shortness of breath, hot flashes, nausea and pains in their chest. Dizziness, shaking and pounding of the heart are also physical features of this disorder (Laliberte, 1998, p.117). During Sarahs attacks, she experienced many of these physical symptoms. She had shortness of breath, hot flashes, pains in the chest, dizziness (causing her to pass out at times), and shaking and pounding of the heart. She felt as though the attack overpowered her thoughts or feelings, overwhelming her. In this paper we are going to look at four different types of Anxiety Disorders. The first

type is Anxiety Disorder due to a general medical condition. Anxiety Disorder due to a general medical condition is diagnosed whenever a panic attack is thought to be a direct physiological consequences. Tests done on physical and mental health, help to determine what the role of the general medical condition is. The second type of Anxiety Disorder is Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder. It is nearly the same as the first type mention, only instead of being a consequence of a medical disorder; it is a consequence of a substance. The substance could be a number of different things including a drug or medication. Nervous system depressants and stimulants can also trigger a panic attack (Morrison, 1995, p.401). The third type of anxiety disorder is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. There are many people who suffer with this type. Whenever someone has an obsession and views an object that triggers their obsession it could lead straight into a panic attack. An example is someone who is obsessed with cleanliness; the item that triggered the attack could possibly be dirt. The last type of Panic Attacks that will be discussed is Separation Anxiety Disorder. This is when other disorders are associated with Panic Disorder. It could be anything as little as embarrassment, to fear of elevators or heights, or Social Phobia (Morrison, 1995, p.401). There are certain people effected by Panic Disorder because some factors create susceptibility to Panic Disorder. In many cases Panic Disorder is hereditary. The risk for other members in the same family is anywhere from ten to twenty percent. Identical twins have a high risk of getting Panic Disorder Thirty percent of Identical twins are diagnosed with it. Sarahs Mother suffers with Panic Disorder, and also has an identical twin (Harvard, 1996, p.1).

Age is also a factor involved. The age of those that suffer from Panic Disorder usually ranges between late adolescence to people in their mid thirtys. It also affects more women then men. Actually, two to three times as much woman suffers from it than men. Men dont seem to have as many attacks as women because they dont often try to find help in dealing with their emotions. So they attempt to treat themselves instead. People with Epilepsy also seem to have a higher rate of having panic attacks. Sarahs attacks started in late adolescence, when she was sixteen years old. There are different types of treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy. CBT teaches patients how to manage their anxiety and how not to think of anxietyprovoking thoughts. Cognitive behavioral therapy usually takes three to six weeks to work. Panic sufferers can also use a therapy known as exposure therapy, which teaches a person that he or she can control their symptoms. First, the therapist puts symptoms of a panic attack in an office setting. Then he coaches the patient in methods of cognitivebehavioral therapy. Behavioral therapy is meant to help patients confront fearful situations (FDA consumer, 1992 p.22). Another treatment used is plain supportive, sympathetic listening. The last kind of treatment is Medication. Medications are a way to get Panic Disorders under control. However, some people become very dependant on these drugs because they are antidepressants. Sixty percent of people, who stop taking medication after the first year, are back on the medication by there third year. Only one drug named alprazolam had ever came on the market for successfully treating panic disorder. There have been other drugs such as Xanax and Klonopin, which have said to reduce panic attacks (FDA consumer, 1992,

p.22). Sarah has been on paxil (paroxetine) for about three years now and has used cognitive behavioral therapy to take control of her situations. Medications and cognitivebehavioral therapy can effectively reduce or prevent panic attacks in anywhere form seventy to ninety percent of those who suffer from the disorder. Of course, with every disorder or disease, there comes consequences. People suffering from Panic Disorder usually have trouble with their social and marital relationships. It gives a person poor physical, as well as mental health. If a person suffering with panic attacks use alcohol or if they are taking drugs it can lead to an increased risk of suicide attempts (Grewal, 1992, p.57). Words: 1222

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Having a panic attack is a common disorder that many people throughout the world experience every day. There are several different types of panic disorders, the most common being a panic attack. While panic attacks dont usually last for more than ten minutes, they can become detrimental to your way of living and your daily activities. If you believe youre having panic attacks, its best to get help for the disorder.

In order to discover whether youre having an attack or not, you should first look for the symptoms. Here are ten warning signs of a panic attack.

1. Increased heart rate. Often times, when you begin to panic, your heart rate will start speeding up rapidly. This will often feel like a pounding feeling thats happening in your heart. This is usually accompanied b y a feeling of pain in your chest.

2. Difficulty breathing. This can also be a shortness of breath that begins to occur. This is usually the result of the increased heart rate. Often times, when youre having a panic attack, youll feel like you have to gasp for air, instead of being able to breathe easily.

3. Nausea. This is often accompanied by a dizzy feeling as well as feeling sick to the stomach. Often times, nausea is also part of becoming light headed. Because of the quick shift in your way of thinking, nausea will react in your body, trying to balance out the physical reactions to the panic.

4. Coldness or numbness in the hands. Often times, sweaty palms, or numbness occur during a panic attack. While the hands will seem to have a more extreme shift in temperature than the rest of the body, this same coldness or numbness may also be present in other parts of your body.

5. Fear. This is one of the major parts of a panic attack. There are several

different types of fears that accompany panic attacks. One is the fear of dying. Another fear is that of losing control or going crazy. If youre in a certain area, then other types of fears may accompany this as well, depending on what triggers the panic attack.

6. Depersonalization. This is simi lar to what many refer to as an out of body experience. At the beginning of your panic attack, you may begin to feel as though youre not really you and that this situation is not who you are. This sense of depersonalization is a large part of panic attack s.

7. Cold or hot flashes. You may begin to get sweaty and begin to shake. At the other extreme, youll feel cold and hot at the same time.

8. No basis for the attack. Many describe panic attacks as having no basis behind them. Theyll be in a normal situation, doing the work or chores of the day when a panic attack occurs. The symptoms will begin to occur suddenly while doing the activities of the day.

9. Terror. Panic attacks are often accompanied by more than fear. Those that have panic attacks may also get an overwhelming feeling that something horrible is about to happen. They may not feel like they have control to prevent this event from happening, adding to the terror.

10. Loss of control. Along with the physical symptoms and ideas that ar e in a panic attack is the idea that one is going to loose control. This is the result of the panic attack triggering. Due to the quick change in body functions as well as the ideas that follow, one will often feel like theyre not able to control their body as well as what is about to happen.

Usually, those with panic attacks have four or more of the symptoms mentioned here. A panic attack will usually not last for more than ten minutes. However, the feelings of fear that accompany it can last up to an hour. If panic attacks become more frequent and extreme, it can also result in a panic disorder, causing dysfunctions to occur in your everyday life. If you have these symptoms, or know someone who has panic

attacks, its best to look into the problem as s oon as possible, so that the attacks dont get any worse.