Panic Attack & Panic Disorder

Feeling panicked when facing fearful things is normal, but in the case of a panic attack and panic disorder, the person feels extreme fear as a result of facing ordinary things or situations that usually don’t cause fear.

Panic attack

Panic attack is a condition of extreme fear and strong reactions that impact the person due to facing a normal and nonlife-threatening thing or situation, and usually the symptoms go away when the situation or the condition goes.

Panic attacks usually affect women more than men, and a lot of people have only one or two panic attacks during their lives, but when the attacks become recurrent and the person spends long periods of time fearing having another attack, this is called panic disorder.

Panic disorder

Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder that contains frequent and unexpected panic attacks. You must pay attention to the fact that not everyone who goes through a panic attack will develop a panic disorder.

Causes and risk factors leading to panic attacks

There isn’t a specific reason for panic attacks, and there isn’t also a specific trigger for them. However, there are some factors that might increase the risk of a panic attack, such as:

• Family history.
• Having other psychological conditions, like depression and anxiety disorder.
• Sensitive temperament that’s more prone to stress and negative emotions.
• Going through negative experiences during childhood, such as extreme violence or some sort of assault.
• Some changes in the brain functions.
• Facing a situation that causes severe stress.
• Facing strong traumas or some sort of assault.
• Smoking and excessive caffeine intake.

Symptoms of panic attacks

The symptoms usually start suddenly without warning, and they last 5-20 minutes and sometimes an hour. They include the following:

• Racing heart.
• Sweating.
• Difficulty breathing.
• Chest pain.
• Shaking.
• Chills.
• Nausea.
• Abdominal cramps.
• Dizziness and lightheadedness.
• Numbness or tingling in the fingers or toes.
• A chocking sensation and a feeling that you’re dying.
• A sense of impending danger.
• The feel of losing control.
• Feeling of unreality.

Complications of panic attacks

• Developing a phobia (persistent and irrational fear of a certain thing or situation) that didn’t exist before.
• Study and work problems.
• Avoiding social situations.
• Developing mental conditions like anxiety and depression.
• Increased alcohol consumption and drug abuse.
• Increased suicidal thoughts and suicide danger.

Diagnosis of panic attacks

• Patient’s medical history.
• Asking about the symptoms.
• Other tests to rule out other conditions.

Treatment of panic attacks

• Psychotherapy.
• Medications.
• Following a healthy lifestyle.
• Psychological support from family and friends.