Panic attack, or panic disorder, is a symptom of an anxiety disorder.
This is a serious condition wherein a person feels excessive anxiety or panic without any real threat or danger.
About 2.
4 million Americans experience panic attacks.
It is usually experienced from late adolescence to early adulthood.
Panic attack is also more common among women than in men.
What are the different panic attack symptoms? It includes palpitations, chest pains, dizziness, upset stomach, nausea, breathing difficulty, a sense of feeling smothered, hot flashes, chills, numbness or tingling of hands, dreamlike sensations, terror, fear of losing control, perceptual distortions, fear of losing control, and others.
Once a person experiences panic attack symptoms, he or she will be living in fear of experiencing another attack.
This can greatly affect a person's quality of life.
The exact cause of the symptoms is not yet completely understood.
But studies show that this disorder can be caused by many factors like family history, brain abnormalities, substance abuse, and major stressful events.
It can be serious and emotionally disturbing.
Because symptoms mimic that of a heart attack, it is important to establish its diagnosis.
First, a complete medical history and physical examination is performed.
Laboratory tests will also be done to rule out other probable illnesses.
If no physical illness is present, the patient will be referred to a mental health professional.
The psychiatrist or psychologist performs interviews and assessments of the patient to establish the correct diagnosis.
A diagnosis of panic attack is based on the intensity and duration of symptoms and the patient's behavior and attitude.
The symptoms are treated by different modalities.
Psychotherapy is used to address emotional response to the illness.
In psychotherapy, the patient is educated about the different strategies in dealing with the disorder.
Through psychotherapy, the patient is also given a deeper understanding of the illness.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is also used to treat the attack symptoms.
This form of psychotherapy enables the patient to learn how to recognize and change behavior and thought patterns.
Anti-depressant drugs and anti-anxiety drugs are also used to treat the symptoms.