3. DOCTORS OFTEN TRY TO RULE
WHAT ARE SOME OUT EVERY OTHER POSSIBLE
SYMPTOMS OF PANIC ALTERNATIVE BEFORE
DISORDERS?
DIAGNOSING PANIC DISORDER.
•SWEATING TO BE DIAGNOSED AS HAVING
•HOT OR COLD FLASHES PANIC DISORDER, A PERSON
•CHOKING OR A MUST EXPERIENCE AT LEAST
SOMOTHERING
SENSATIONS FOUR OF THE FOLLOWING
•RACING HEART
SYMPTOMS DURING A PANINC
•LABORED BREATHING ATTACK.
TREMBLING CHEST PAINS A PANIC ATTACK CAN LAST LESS
•FAINTNESS
THAN 10 MINS OR AS LONG AS 45
•NUMBNESS
MINS. 10 MINS IS THE AVERAGE
•NAUSEA
TIME FOR AN ATTACK TO LAST.
•DISORIENTATION OR A
SENSE OF UNREALITY AFTER A PANIC ATTACK A
•FEELINGS OF DYING, PERSON CAN FEEL ANXIOUS OR
LOSING CONTROL, OR JITTERY FOR MANY HRS AFTER
LOSING ONE’S MIND
HAVING A PANIC ATTACK.
4. MANY PEOPLE WITH PANIC DISORDER
DEVELOPE INTENSE ANXIETY BETWEEN
EPISODES. IT IS ALSO NOT UNUSUAL FOR
A PERSON WITH PANIC DISORDER TO
DEVELPE PHOBIAS ABOUT PLACES OR
SITUATIONS WHERE PANIC ATTACKS
HAVE OCCURRED. THE MORETHE
ATTACKS HAPPEN THE MORE THE
PERSON BEGINS TO AVOID SITUATIONS
WHERE THEY FEAR ANOTHER ATTACK
MAY OCCUR OR WHERE HELP WOULD
NOT BE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE.
5. NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHAT CAUSES PANIC
DISORDER. HOWEVER, SEVERAL IDEAS ARE
BEING RESEARCHED TO SEE WHAT CAN CAUSE
THIS DISORDER. PANIC DISORDER SEEMS TO
RUN IN FAMILIES, WHICH SUGGESTS THAT IT
HAS AT LEAST SOME GENETIC BASIS.
BIOLOGICAL THEORIES POINT TO POSSIBLE
PHYSICAL DEFECTS IN A PERSON’S AUTONOMIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM. GENERAL HYPERSENSITIVITY
IN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM, INCREASED AROUSAL,
OR A SUDDEN CHEMICAL IMBALANCE CAN
TRIGGER PANIC ATTACKS. CAFFEINE, ALCOHOL,
AND SEVERAL OTHER AGENTS CAN ALSO
TRIGGER THESE SYMPTOMS.
6. PHOBIAS ARE IRRATIONAL,
INVOLUNTARY, AND INAPPROPRIATE
FEARS OF (OR RESPONSES TO) ORDINARY
SITUATIONS OR THINGS. PEOPLE WHO
HAVE PHOBIAS CAN EXPERIENCE PANIC
ATTACKS WHEN CONFRONTED WITH THE
SITUATION OR OB JECT ABOUT WHICH
THEY FEEL PHOBIC. A CATEGORY OF
SYMPTOMS CALLED PHOBIC DISORDER
FALLS WITHING THE BROADER FIELD OF
ANXIETY DISORDERS.
7. 1. SPECIFIC PHOBIA- AN EXTREME OR EXCESSIVE FEAR OF AN
OBJECT OR SITUATION THAT IS NOT HARMFUL UNDER
GENERAL CONDITIONS. PEOPLE WITH SPECIFIC PHOBIAS KNOW
THAT THEIR FEAR IS EXCESSIVE, BUT THEY ARE UNABLE TO
OVERCOME THE EMOTION.
2. SOCIAL PHOBIA (also called Social Anxiety Disorder)- SIGNIFICANT
ANXIETY AND DISCOMFORT RELATED TO FEAR OF BEING
EMBARRASSED OR SCORNED IN SOCIAL OR PERFORMANCE
SITUATIONS (E.G., PUBLIC SPEAKING, MEETING PEOPLE, OR
USING PUBLIC RESTROOMS). MOST PEOPLE EXPERIEINCING
SOCIAL PHOBIA TRY TO AVOID SITUATIONS THAT PROVOKE
THE DREAD, OR ENDURE THEM WITH MUCH DISTRESS.
3. AGORAPHOBIA- THEFEAR OF EXPERIENCING A PANIC ATTACK
IN SITUATIONS FROM WHICH ESCAPE MAY BE DIFFICULT OR
EMBARRASSING. THE ANXIETY OF AGORAPHOBIA IS SO SEVERE
THAT INDIVIDUALS TYPICALLY SEEK TO AVOID THE
SITUATIONS ALTOGETHER. UNTREATED, AGORAPHOBIA CAN
BECOM SO DEBILITATING THAT A PERSON MAY REFUSE TO
LEAVE THE HOUSE.
8. Many people with phobias or panic disorder
"fear the fear," or worry about when the next
attack is coming. The fear of more panic attacks
can lead to a very limited life. People who have
panic attacks often begin to avoid the things
they think triggered the panic attack and then
stop doing the things they used to do or the
places they used to go.
9. 2 TYPES OF TREATMENT ARE AVAILABLE FOR
PANIC DISORDER
1. MEDICATION- THIS DISORDER IS TREATED WITH
BENZODIAZEPINES (XANAX, KLONOPIN, VALIUM
ETC.)
2. COGNITIVE THERAPY- IS USED TO HELP
PEOPLE THINK AND BEHAVE APPROPRIATLEY.
PATIENTS LEARN TO MAKE THE FEARED OBJECT OR
SITUATION LESS THREATENING AS THEY ARE
EXPOSED TO AND SLOWLY GET USE TO, WHATEVER IS
SO FREIGHTENING TO THEM.
