What is panic disorder?

Panic Disorder is a condition in which a person gets frequent and sudden panic attacks. Panic attack involves a sudden surge of intense fear or discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes.

What are the symptoms of a panic attack?

Some of the symptoms include:

Palpitation, sensation of shortness of breath or smothering, feeling of choking, chest pain or chest discomfort, sweating, fear of losing control, fear of dying, nausea or abdominal discomfort, trembling or shaking etc.

How is panic disorder diagnosed?

Panic disorder is diagnosed based on history and symptoms. Generally, a person will be diagnosed with panic disorder if he/she experiences frequent panic attacks and in constant fear of having panic attack.

What is the treatment for panic disorder?

The main treatments for panic disorder are medication and psychotherapy. Medications such as selective, serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), Norepinephrine Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitors (NDRI) as well benzodiazepines can be used to treat panic attack. Psychotherapy such as CBT can teach you how your thoughts, feelings and actions affect your behavior and how you can change your thoughts, feelings and reaction to things to reduce anxiety and panic attacks.