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Panic
Disorder (with or without Agoraphobia)
Category
Anxiety
Disorders
Etiology
Often the symptoms of this disorder come on
rapidly and without an identifiable stressor. The individual may have had
periods of high anxiety in the past, or may have been involved in a recent
stressful situation. The underlying causes, however, are typically subtle.
Symptoms
Panic
Disorder is characterized by sudden attacks of intense fear or anxiety,
usually associated with numerous physical symptoms such as heart
palpitations, rapid breathing or shortness of breath, blurred vision,
dizziness, and racing thoughts. Often these symptoms are thought to be a
heart attack by the individual, and many cases are diagnosed in hospital
emergency rooms.
Treatment
Although
medication can be useful, psychotherapy (especially behavioral and
cognitive/behavioral approaches have proved quite successful). The key to
treatment is accepting the panic attacks as psychological rather than
physical (once these causes have been ruled out by a physician),
practicing relaxation exercises, and working through the underlying
issues.
Prognosis
Prognosis
for this disorder is very good if the above conditions are met. Left
untreated, however, symptoms can worsen and Agoraphobia can develop. In
these cases, the individual has developed such an intense fear that
leaving the safety of home feels impossible.
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