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Last Updated: Jan 10, 2023
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Panic Disorder - 8 Signs You are Suffering from it

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Dr. Vikas JainPsychiatrist • 33 Years Exp.MD, MBBS
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A panic attack is the result of a sudden enormous burst of fear and anxiety. The heart tends to beat faster and breathing becomes difficult. A person gets a feeling of going crazy and dries up. If the treatment is not taken on time, this condition can aggravate to panic disorder and such other problems. It is totally curable if the symptoms are addressed properly. 

Symptoms of panic disorder:
Panic attacks can lead someone to panic in any place. It takes only 10 minutes to reach its peak and typically lasts for 25-20 minutes. A patient is a prime candidate of a panic disorder if he frequently suffers from the following symptoms:

  1. The discomfort of the chest
  2. Profound sweating
  3. Hyperventilation
  4. Fear of losing control of life
  5. Feeling of detachment from the surrounding
  6. A choked feeling
  7. Heart palpitation
  8. Sudden cold flashes and tingling sensation

Apart from the above symptoms, if a patient suffers from anxiety in between panic attacks in anticipation of another panic attacks, he could be suffering from panic disorders. it is often witnessed that patients suffering from panic disorder avoid certain situations and places.

What causes panic disorder?
Panic disorder results from frequent panic attacks and the cause of the latter are not very clear. It is believed that certain life transitions such as divorce, getting married, acute stress, the death of loved one can result in panic attacks. A person has higher chances of getting this disease if it runs in the family. Some medical conditions that can cause panic disorder are hyperthyroidism, use of stimulants such as cocaine, caffeine and mitral valve prolapse.

How it can be treated?
Behavioral treatment: Cognitive behavioral therapy is widely considered as one of the effective treatments for panic attacks. This form of treatment effectively focuses on thinking patterns and behavior that triggers panic attacks. It helps you to look at your apprehensions in a better light. Another method of treatment for panic disorder is called exposure therapy. This method exposes a patient sensation of panic in a controlled environment. The trick is to deal with it in a much better way. For instance, you might be asked to cross the road. When you successfully manage to do it without getting crashed, you are less likely to panic in foreseeable future.
Medication Treatment: Medication can address the problem temporarily, but is not a good solution for long term. Certain medication such as antidepressants and Benzodiazepines are prescribed by doctors with time duration of every 1-2 hours. These are anti-anxiety drugs and gives immediate relief from panic attacks. However, it should be ensured that these medicines are only consumed once a doctor prescribes it.

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