Panic disorder tends to continue for months or years.
While it typically begins in young adulthood, in some people the symptoms may arise earlier or later in life. If left untreated, it may worsen to the point where the person's life is seriously affected by panic attacks and by attempts to avoid or conceal them. In fact, many people have had problems with friends and family or lost jobs while struggling to cope with panic disorder. There may be periods of spontaneous improvement in the disorder, but it does not usually go away unless the person receives treatments designed specifically to help people with panic disorder.