Panic Disorder

What Causes Panic Attacks?
Types of Panic Disorder, Symptoms and Cure

What is a Panic Disorder?

All of us, at one point or another, have felt anxious. It could have been due to stress. It could have been as a result of having to perform in front of an audience. It could have been for fear of not being accepted by the graduate school of your choice.

But have you ever had episodes of intense anxiety and fear, suddenly and in the absence of any perceived danger?

If you have, then you were, in all probability, experiencing a "Panic Attack," the hallmark of Panic Disorder, which occurs when the brain’s normal response to threat is triggered inappropriately.

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Generally, it is possible for healthy people to experience an isolated Panic Attack and not actually have the Panic Disorder. Up to 10% of people with Panic Attacks fit in this category.

In order to be diagnosed with the Panic Disorder, a person must experience at least two unexpected Panic Attacks and develop constant concern about having another attack. You can have a Panic Attack and not have a Panic Disorder, but all Panic Disorders begin with Panic Attacks.

Panic Disorder often occurs in patients with Agoraphobia ( 26%) or Social Phobia ( 33%). Approximately one in three patients with Panic Disorder is depressed, and one in five attempts suicide.

What is a Panic Attack?

A Panic Attack is a sudden and unexpected period of intense fear or discomfort. It comes out of the blue, without warning. A Panic Attack can only be described as a comprehensive emotional nightmare.

Some people with panic feel like they are in an escalating cycle of catastrophe and doom and that something bad is going to happen to them "right now this very moment."

Others feel as if they are having a heart attack as their heart races. The heart palpitations convince them that they are about to have an attack.

Other people feel that they are going to "lose control" of themselves and will do something embarrassing in front of other people.

Others breathe so quickly, gasping for air, that they hyperventilate and feel like they will suffocate from lack of oxygen.

If you have Panic Disorder, in which the Panic Attacks recur often, you will be eventually living in perpetual fear of an impending attack. This, often actually, induces a Panic Attack and the cycle just keeps on going. Learn how you can onClick="javascript:urchinTracker('/goolefile/panic.html');" target="_blank"> Fight and Control Panic Attacks

They can happen anywhere and at any time. Panic Attacks often strike when you’re away from home. You may have one while you’re in a store shopping, walking down the street, or driving in your car. Panic Attacks can even happen while you’re sleeping, causing you to wake up in a state of overwhelming fear.

Undergoing a Panic Attack can be such a terrifying experience that you will be convinced that you are dying. Many sufferers often feel the need to go to the emergency room and get tested. Even though this disorder is easily and also successfully treatable, if it is NOT diagnosed, it can become very debilitating to the individual.

Difference Between Anxiety and Panic

Panic Attacks are characterized by episodes of intense fear that last only a short while. In contrast, Anxiety builds up slowly, is less intense and lasts longer.

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There is no definitive answer when it comes to this question. Extensive researches conducted with the aim of determining what causes Panic Attacks have not been conclusive in their results. They have only left us with some pointers.

Genetic Predisposition

Sometimes Panic Disorders run in families. It is not unusual for a mother and a daughter to have a Panic Disorder, just like it has been proved through research that if one of genetically identical twins has the disorder, it is likely that the other will too.

So it can be concluded that in some cases a genetic factor, in combination with the environment, may have a role in a person’s predisposition to mental illness.

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Biochemical Abnormalities

Research suggests that this type of mental illness may be a result of increased activity in the Hippocampus and Locus Coeruleus, portions of the brain that monitor internal and external stimuli and control the brain’s responses to them.

There is also indication that the Amygdala plays a role in this disorder. The Amygdala, along with the Hippocampus are major centers of the limbic system—a system that "controls" our emotions.

Research also suggests that this disorder is characterized by alterations in some Neurotransmitters like: Serotonin, Norepinephrine, Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, Corticotropin-releasing hormone, and Cholecystokinin.

All these Neurotransmitters are closely linked and work in harmony in our body. A single change in one will result in a change in all of them, causing a number of extensive feedback mechanisms.

It is for this reason that Panic Disorder is treated with Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI), which block the absorption of Serotonin in the body in order to increase its presence in the brain. This is very important because Serotonin is a Neurotransmitter that plays a significant role in “quieting” the stress response.

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Caffeine Overdose

Caffeine is a stimulant that acts upon a chemical in the brain called “Adenosine”. This chemical serves as a natural tranquilizer or a sedative in our body. But any interference with its functioning naturally means that it cannot work properly to calm the body and hence in this situation you are prone to a Panic Attack.

Unresolved Conflicts

In addition to the above causes, scientists believe that Panic Disorders focus on bringing underlying conflicts in an individual to surface—such as anger and unresolved conflicts in intimate relationships.

Also, those who believe in the above theory lay emphasis on the person’s thought processes, a person’s handling of stress, and his overall disposition. Individuals with Panic Disorder often feel that they are not in control of their lives and are basically losers or have missed the bus.

Statistically speaking, women are twice as likely to develop a Panic Disorder than men, probably due to their more "vulnerable" nature and the fact that they are inherently disposed to taking things more seriously and letting events effect them more permanently compared to men.

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Symptoms of a Panic Attack

In Panic Attack, symptoms develop unexpectedly and generally reach their peak within 10 minutes. You could be in the midst of a full-blown Panic Attack if you experience any four of the following symptoms:

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Types of Panic Attacks

Experts have grouped Panic Attacks into three types.

• Sudden Panic Attacks occur unexpectedly without warning and for no apparent reason. They might happen when you are relaxed or asleep.

Treating Panic Disorders

As it is difficult to attach a definitive cause to most Panic Attacks, therefore treatment may be different for each individual. Typically, it involves Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, or Medication or a combination of both.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy helps people learn to deal with panic symptoms, using techniques like muscle and breathing relaxation. They also gain reassurance that panic will not lead to the catastrophic events they fear,

Medication

When medication is needed, the most commonly prescribed class of drugs for Panic Disorders are the Benzodiazepines (such as Clonazepam and Alprazolam) and the SSRI Antidepressants.

It is rarely appropriate to provide medication treatment alone, without the use of Psychotherapy to help educate and change the patient's behaviors related to their association of certain physiological sensations with fear.

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