Panic Disorder Panic disorders is characterized by unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear or panic accompanied by physical symptoms that may include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, or abdominal distress. These sensations often mimic symptoms of a heart attack or other life-threatening medical conditions. As a result, the diagnosis of panic disorder is frequently not made until extensive and costly medical procedures fail to provide a correct diagnosis or relief. Many people with panic disorder develop intense anxiety between episodes, worrying when and where the next one will strike.
Women are twice as likely as men to develop panic disorder.
Panic disorder typically strikes in young adulthood. Roughly half of all people who have panic disorder develop the condition before age 24. Heredity, other biological factors, stressful life events, and thinking in a way that exaggerates relatively normal bodily reactions in catastrophic events are all believed to play a role in the onset of panic disorder. The exact cause or causes of panic disorder are unknown and are the subject of intense scientific investigation. Treatment for panic disorder includes medications and a type of psychotherapy known as cognitive-behavioral therapy, which teaches people how to view panic attacks differently and demonstrates ways to reduce anxiety.