This mis-cueing sends our minds and bodies into a severe stress response and can lead to a panic attack. There's some indication that the brain may block the availability of anxiety-reducing chemicals in the bodies of people with panic disorder. A woman may develop unhealthy coping strategies as a result of an ongoing stress response. Unhealthy coping involves avoidance behavior, self-defeating styles of thinking, and agoraphobia. These can cause a chronic fear of panic attacks themselves, and thus intensify anxiety.
Panic disorder is twice as common in women as in men.
Approximately 2.4 million people in the US are affected each year. Women are more likely to seek help for panic disorder than are men. This is because the symptoms of panic may mimic other medical conditions. Women who have experienced intense panic attacks describe them as feeling like a life-threatening event, such as a heart attack or stroke. Because panic attack symptoms can resemble serious physical problems, women should have a thorough physical exam to be sure they don't have a major heart condition or other health problems.