Panic disorders People who suffer from these disorders have repeated panic attacks which are often difficult to predict. Symptoms include sweating, shaking, shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, fear of dying or losing control and hot flushes. Some symptoms, such as chest pain, can mimic those of a heart attack, increasing the sense of anxiety. Panic disorders usually first occur in late adolescence or early adulthood. Women are thought to be twice as likely to suffer from them as men.
Research suggests the condition is sometimes genetically inherited.
Phobias Phobias are irrational, persistent and uncontrollable fear of something. The fear can be so overwhelming that people go to great lengths to avoid the situation or thing they are afraid of. People with severe agoraphobia, for example, may find it difficult to venture out of their homes. Obsessive compulsive disorder People who have obsessive compulsive disorders resort to ritualised behaviour as a means of overcoming irrational fears. Common obsessions include fear of dirt or germs, a need for absolute tidiness or order and repeated doubts, for example, about turning off electrical or gas appliances.