Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder. Like Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Panic Disorder can significantly affect an individual's ability to function. One of the symptoms of Panic Disorder are recurrent, unexpected Panic Attacks. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), Panic Attacks are discrete periods of intense fear or discomfort in which four or more of the following symptoms develop abruptly and reach a peak within 10 minutes:

• Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate
• Sweating
• Trembling or shaking
• Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
• Feeling of choking
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Nausea or abdominal distress
• Feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint
• Feelings of unreality or being detached from oneself
• Fear of losing control or going crazy
• Fear of dying
• Numbness or tingling sensations
• Chills or hot flashes

These attacks are much more intense than the feeling of being overly stressed, which most people experience from time to time. These symptoms often cause people to want to flee the situation.

Having one Panic Attack does not mean you have developed Panic Disorder. To meet criteria for Panic Disorder an individual has to have:

1. Recurrent, Unexpected Attacks: occur out of the blue and are not associated with particular situations or triggers. People who experience panic symptoms in the presence of stimuli associated with particular fears or stressors may be suffering from other anxiety disorders (e.g., Specific Phobia or PTSD).
2. Concerns about Subsequent Attacks: occur for a month or more after at least one of the attacks, and one or more of the following must occur:
   • Persistent concern about having additional attacks
   • Worry about the implications of the attack or its consequences (e.g., losing control, having a heart attack, "going crazy")
   • A significant change in behavior related to the attacks

Panic Disorder can be diagnosed with or without Agoraphobia. The central feature of Agoraphobia is anxiety about being in places or situations from which escape might be difficult or embarrassing or in which help may not be available in the event of having a Panic Attack or panic-like symptoms. More

It is not uncommon for people to think they are experiencing a heart attack, when in fact they are having a Panic Attack. Although chest pain or discomfort can occur during a Panic Attack, cardiac arrest entails a crushing pain in the chest, usually accompanied by pains that shoot downward through the arm. More on distinguishing a Panic Attack from a heart attack.

Take a Panic Disorder self-test

If you are interested in sharing the results with your provider, be sure to print out your results to discuss at your next doctor's appointment.