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Panic Disorder
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What is Panic Disorder?
It can strike without warning – a sudden and intense rush of terror with powerful symptoms like a racing heart, chest pain, trouble breathing, stomach upset, dizziness and feeling out of control or unsafe. You’re having a panic attack – and if it’s your first, you may even mistake it for a heart attack.
Some people have just one or two panic attacks. But if you have repeated attacks, worry about them frequently and go out of your way to avoid them, you could have panic disorder – a type of anxiety disorder.
What is the Difference Between Panic Disorder and Panic Attack?
Panic attacks are common – one in 10 American adults has them every year, and about a third of adults will have one in their lifetime.
Panic disorder is more unusual. Only about 3% of adults have the condition, and it affects more women than men. If you’ve had at least two panic attacks, discuss them with your Mercy doctor or a Mercy behavioral health provider.
Panic Disorder Causes & Risk Factors
While the exact causes of panic disorder are unknown, several risk factors may play a role in panic disorder.
- Your genetic makeup
- A family history of panic disorder
- Medical conditions like thyroid disease and others can make you especially susceptible
- Using drugs or alcohol to cope with panic disorder symptoms can worsen them
- People with panic disorder may also have major depression, but it’s uncertain whether one condition causes the other
Symptoms of a Panic Disorder
People who have panic attacks don’t necessarily have panic disorder. Symptoms of a panic disorder include frequent and unexpected attacks with four or more of signs, including:
- Chest pain
- Rapid heartbeat
- Sweating
- Shaking
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling like you’re choking or being smothered
- Immediate need to flee or get fresh air
- Hot flashes or chills
- Feeling dizzy or faint
- Nausea or stomach pains
- Numbness or tingling
- Feeling odd, unreal or detached
- Fear of losing control or going crazy
- Fear of death or dying
- Frequently recalling past attacks and feeling desperate to avoid another
If you're experiencing signs of panic disorder, it can be overwhelming. Mercy's behavioral health experts are here to help.
Related to this Condition
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At Mercy, we offer compassionate care for a variety of treatment services, including: