When asked to define panic disorder, a Doctor will tell you that it is a psychiatric condition that is characterized by frequent, recurring panic or anxiety attacks. Not only that, but the sufferer will have some sort of significant behavioral change and ongoing fears about their attacks, or any implications that may come hand in hand with them.
It has been recorded that as many as 6.0 million adults in America are suffering with Panic Disorder. It is a serious health problem, but it can be treated with the right medical help. It generally occurs in early adulthood, at least half of all sufferers are aged 24 and under. This number is significantly increased with the subjection to a traumatizing experience.
If untreated, Panic Disorder can continue to reap havoc in ones life for many months and even many years. The earlier it is diagnosed and treated, the earlier a sufferer can begin to live their lives normally again.
When you define Panic Disorder, you also tend to associate it with other illnesses such as clinical depression and also drug and alcohol dependency. There have been theories that suicide attempts are considerably higher in those suffering from this illness, but it has yet to be proven and it is a very controversial claim.
Panic disorder tends to run genetically within families, but there are sufferers who have no family history of the disease whatsoever. There have been studies that have shown that panic disorder is more likely to co-exist with other hereditary diseases such as bipolar disorder and alcoholism.
There are also biological reasons behind why somebody would get panic disorder, and in a life where stress is at an all time high and we are all rushing around trying to get everything done, it is not surprising that this disease is on the increase.
There is a criteria list to aid in being able to define panic disorder in a person and it mentions having panic attacks, and then worry about the implications afterwards for a period of one month or more. If you think this is you then you should seek medical help. The sooner this is diagnosed, the sooner it can be treated.
When trying to define panic disorder, you need to take into account varying degrees of panic attacks. They can range from as little as one minute, or they can roll into one another so that it feels like you are constantly having one. They also have a huge variety of symptoms, which a person may get all of, or just a few of during their attack.
The symptoms generally pass, so you shouldn’t go to the doctor during a panic attack because they may have to run extensive tests on you to rule out other ailments, which will aggravate your attack even further! Unfortunately, to the untrained eye, panic attacks can look like other life threatening illnesses and onlookers may try to get you medical assistance.
