Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms that may include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness or abdominal distress. These sensations often mimic symptoms of a heart attack or other life-threatening medical conditions. As a result, the diagnosis of panic disorder is frequently not made until extensive and costly medical procedures fail to provide a correct diagnosis or relief. An estimated 1.6 percent of American adults ages 18 to 54 suffer from panic disorder in a given year.
Many people with panic disorder develop intense anxiety between episodes. It is not unusual for a person with panic disorder to develop phobias about places or situations where panic attacks have occurred, such as in supermarkets or other everyday situations. As the frequency of panic attacks increases, the person often begins to avoid situations where they fear another attack may occur or where help would not be immediately available. This avoidance may eventually develop into agoraphobia, an inability to go beyond known and safe surroundings because of intense fear and anxiety.
Panic disorder typically strikes in young adulthood. Roughly half of all people who have panic disorder develop the condition before age 24. Women are twice as likely as men to develop panic disorder. Heredity, other biological factors, stressful life events, and thinking in a way that exaggerates relatively normal bodily reactions are all believed to play a role in the onset of panic disorder. The exact cause or causes of panic disorder are unknown and are the subject of intense scientific investigation. Fortunately effective treatments have been developed to help people with panic disorder.
What Treatments Are Available for Panic Disorder?
Treatment for panic disorder includes medications, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), or the combination of these two. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are now the first line of medication treatment for panic disorder, other commonly used medications are tricyclic antidepressants, high potency benzodiazepines, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). CBT, which teaches people how to view panic attacks differently and demonstrates ways to reduce anxiety, has been found to be effective.
Appropriate treatment by an experienced professional can reduce or prevent panic attacks in 70 to 90% of people with panic disorder. Most patients show significant progress after a few weeks of therapy. Relapses may occur, but they can often be effectively treated just like the initial episode.
Can People With Panic Disorder Have Other Illnesses?
Research shows that panic disorder can coexist with other disorders, most often depression and substance abuse. Appropriate diagnosis and treatment of these co-occurring disorders are important to successfully treating panic disorder.
For More Information
Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General can be viewed at www.surgeongeneral.gov
The Anxiety Disorders Education Program,
National Institute of Mental,
6001 Executive Blvd., Room 8184, MSC 9663,
Bethesda, MD 20892-9663.
Phone: 301-443-4513
Toll-free: 1-88-88-ANXIETY (1-888-826-9438)
TTY: 301-443-8431
NIMH Anxiety Disorders Web site: www.nimh.nih.gov/anxiety/anxietymenu.cfm
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Center for Mental Health Services
Office of External Liaison
Room 15C-05, Parklawn Building
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
Phone: 301-443-2792
FAX: 301-443-5163
SAMHSA home page address: www.samhsa.gov
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Mental Health: The Cornerstone of Health
Home page address: www.mentalhealth.org/cornerstone
