Panic disorder affects 3 million Americans or 1.6% of the adult population in the US. It cut across all ages, social classes, races, and gender, though nearly twice as many females as males are affected. It usually begins in young adulthood, but people of all ages can develop it.
I found out three years ago that I'm one of the statistics, when I had two major panic attacks 2 days apart, both of which sent me to the emergency room. Why? When you don't know what it is, and you feel like you are dying or having a heart attack, you look for some help.
This disorder is common, affecting a lot of people who may not realize what they have. Many of them become so fearful of having an attack that they develop a fear of going out in public, a condition called agoraphobia. There is help available.
Panic disorder is one of a group of disorders that comes under the heading of anxiety. These disorders include:
- Panic disorder with or without agoraphobia
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Social phobia
- Specific phobia
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Agoraphobia without panic disorder
Panic attacks can occur anytime any where. My attacks are nocturnal— they occur at night, sometimes just before I wake up. It was only after I had the two major attacks that I looked back and realized that the episodes of sudden awakening in the night feeling like I couldn't breathe that I'd been having for several years were panic attacks. They were very short in duration, last no more than a minute or two. I had dealt with them by telling myself that I could breathe just fine, get up, go to the bathroom, go back to bed and back to sleep. I didn't think more about it.
The symptoms of a panic attack can include any or all of the following. To be considered a panic attack, at least four of them should be present.
- Noticeably quick or pounding heart rate
- Pain or other discomfort in the chest
- Sweating
- Shaking
- Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Tingling sensations
- Fear of going crazy or losing control
- Fear of dying
- Derealization or depersonalization (feeling like you aren't actually you)
- Choking sensation
- Nausea and other gastrointestinal symptoms.
- Cold or hot flashes
The difficulty breathing causes hyperventilation which can cause tingling and dizziness. An attack will generally last no more than 10 to 20 minutes. In some instances an attack may last an hour or more. Such was the case with the two attacks I had that sent me to the ER. Both lasted well over an hour. Thankfully, I've never had any more that bad.
What causes panic attacks? Here are some of the theories.
- Serotonin: People with panic disorder might have a serotonin deficiency, or serotonin isn't being used correctly by the body. Serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants act by increasing serotonin levels.
- Stress & cholecystokinin (CCK): When you are under stress, your body produces endorphins. When stress ends, the body produces CCK to counteract the endorphins. CCK can cause panic attacks. Thus, for some, stress triggers attacks. Click here for more info.
- Hyperventilation: Improper breathing causes the lungs to exhale too much carbon dioxide, thereby lowering levels in the brain and blood. This goes on to cause dizziness, heart palpitations, further breathing problems and increased anxiety. For example, a stressful situation might cause irregular breathing which then triggers the other attack symptoms.
- Overstimulation of the noradrenergic system: For some reason, this system, particularly the part of the brain called the "locus ceruleus," is more sensitive to stimulation in people with panic disorder.
In my situation, no outside factors were causing the attacks as they were occurring at night. At that time there was a lot of stress in my life: a major 1000 mile move followed two months later by a flood; planning a wedding and another move after the flood. Even my doctor said it was no wonder I had panic attacks! I took medication for 16 months which brought things back to normal. O still have disturbances occasionally at night, but now that I know what they are, it is much easier to deal with them. Plus, I've never had but the two huge attacks. I hope I never do again.
You aren't crazy if you suffer from panic attacks. But you shouldn't suffer alone. There is help available from your physician and the Great Physician.
The National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) have some literature on panic disorder available online.
Understanding Panic Disorder
Panic Disorder, A Real Illness
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Jesus is the joy of living
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Linda
