It is important to mention that sudden episodes of the above symptoms caused by another reasonable cause are not panic attacks. If these reasonable causes are found not be the cause of the problem then there is the possibility of a Panic Disorder. Panic attacks reach maximum intensity within a minute or two once they begin. They diminish slowly-over the next 30 minutes or the next several hours. It is common for the first attack to cause a person to go to an emergency medical facility.
Subsequent attacks occur several times a month and are often as severe as the initial attack.
About three fourths of Panic Disorder patients are women. Panic Disorder begins most often when people are 20-30 years old. It begins less often in teenagers or persons in their forties. It is uncommon for the disorder to appear in the elderly for the first time. It is important to note that although a few experts say it is more common in persons who experienced a separation experience as a child, many of experts feel that Panic Disorder afflicts emotionally healthy people.