Panic Disorder

Women's Mental Health Home > Mental Health Conditions > Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder. Other types of anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, social phobia, and post-traumatic stress disorders. Women are affected with this condition twice as often as men.

Panic attacks are the most common symptom of this disorder. A person is having a panic attack when they feel:

feelings of terror that strike suddenly and repeatedly with no warning
chest pain
difficulty breathing
flushes or chills
fear of losing control
fear of dying

Because these attacks are so unpredictable, many women may have intense anxiety between panic attacks. While most attacks last a few minutes on average, sometimes they can last as long as 10 minutes. In rare cases, they may last an hour or more.

Early treatment can help keep the disease from progressing to its later stages, and people can learn effective ways to live with this disorder. Medications; cognitive therapy (to change or get rid of destructive thought patterns); behavioral therapy (to change a person's behavior); or some combination of these treatments can bring much most people who suffer from panic disorder and other anxiety disorders.

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Additional Resources

Publications

Mental Health Services Locator — This Internet site will help you locate mental health treatment facilities and support services in your state.
http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/databases/default.asp
Panic Disorder — This publication provides information about panic disorders, including what they are, how they are treated, and examples of co-existing conditions.
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/panic-disorder/index.shtml
When Fear Overwhelms: Panic Disorder — This easy-to-read publication describes all the important information about panic disorder. It includes information about paying for treatment, as well as a personal story from someone who has panic disorder.
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/when-fear-overwhelms-panic-disorder/index.shtml...
Factsheet: Panic Disorder (Copyright © Mental Health America) — This fact sheet provides an overview of panic disorder, its symptoms, and possible treatment methods.
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/panic-disorder
Panic Attacks, Panic Disorder, and Agoraphobia (Copyright © American Academy of Family Physicians) — This online resource provides information on panic disorders, including what will happen during an attack and things you can do to relieve an attack.
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/mentalhealth/anxiety/137.html...
Panic Disorder (Copyright © American Psychiatric Association) — This fact sheet explains the symptoms of panic attacks and offers advice about how to talk to your doctor. It also discusses the benefits of cognitive-behavioral therapy and how you can overcome panic disorder.
http://www.healthyminds.org/Main-Topic/Panic-Disorder.aspx
Panic Disorder (Panic Attack) (Copyright © Anxiety Disorders Association of America) — This Web page describes panic attack and its link to agoraphobia. There are a number of links to personal stories of people with panic disorder and how they have overcome their panic attacks.
http://www.adaa.org/GettingHelp/AnxietyDisorders/Panicattack.asp
Panic Disorder Self-Test (Copyright © Anxiety Disorders Association of America) — Take this test to see if you might have panic disorder. Your results can help your doctor decide if you have panic disorder.
http://www.adaa.org/GettingHelp/SelfHelpTests/selftest_Panic.asp

Organizations

= Indicates Federal Resources

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