Panic disorder is something that develops for no apparent reason. It causes repeated and unexpected attacks of intense fear. It can last for a few minutes or even hours. The people that have this disorder usually live in fear of having another attack. They are afraid to be alone, or to be far from medical help. The feelings of intense fear can trigger severe physical reactions. This disorder is very real and treatable.
While it is not known what actually causes the attacks there are things that may play a role in those causes that include the following. Certain changes in the way the parts of your brain function. The flight or fight response to danger may contribute to a panic attack; however, it is not known why a panic attack occurs when there is no presence of danger. Genetics can be a factor; it can run in families and be passed on by one or both parents, similar to the way eye color is passed. Drug and alcohol abuse can also contribute to panic disorder. Stress also can trigger panic attacks, such as the death of a family member, or even a major change in life.
When operating as an overloaded or impaired system versus a balanced system each portion of the brain plays an important role in the panic response that eventually leads to dysregulation of neurotransmitters. The initial area of impact for anxiety signals is the basal ganglia, which is located under the cortex of the brain. Underneath the basal ganglia is the limbic system, which further comprises intricate processes also involved in the panic response. The prefrontal cortex is the portion of the brain responsible for analyzing information and making decisions toward response. When faced with a trigger stressor, this area of the brain has a quick process to engage ...
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...aring your feelings will help you be free of the feeling of always living in fear.
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Panic disorder- sudden intense and unprovoked feelings of terror and dread. People who suffer from this disorder generally develop strong fears about when and where their next panic attack will occur, and often restrict their activities as a result.
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Panic disorder is an anxiety-repeated disorder that affects approximately five percent of the population (Roy-Byrne, Craske, & Stein, 2006). A diagnosis of panic disorder requires that the individual experiences recurrent panic attacks with any of the following: worry about the possibility of future attacks, avoiding places or situations in which the individual fears a panic attack may occur, fear of being unable to escape or obtain help, or any other change in behavior due to the attacks (Roy-Byrne, Craske, & Stein, 2006). Panic attacks are often sudden and the sufferer usually experience physical symptoms such as autonomie, otoneurological, gastrointestinal,or cardiorespiratory distress (Roy-Byrne, Craske, & Stein, 2006). Individuals who suffer from panic disorder typically utilize medical services at a higher rate than those who do not have panic disorder, an impaired social life, and a reduced quality of life (Taylor, 2006). Often times those who suffer from panic disorder may also suffer from depression and general anxiety (Taylor, 2006). According to the Stanford University School of medicine, approximately 50 percent of patients diagnosed with panic disorder will develop depression and approximately 50 percent of depressed patients will develop panic disorder (Taylor, 2006). In addition those who suffer from panic disorder have a higher incidence of suicide, especially those with comorbid depression (Taylor, 2006). Not everyone who experiences a panic attack suffers from panic disorder (Roy-Byrne, Craske, & Stein, 2006). The same physical symptoms of panic disorder may occur when an individual is faced with specific fears and potentially dangerous situations (Roy-Byrne, Craske, & Stein, 2006). The difference b...
Everyone at some point have experience fear due to a situation that overwhelms us. This is an essential response of our bodies that can help us survive. However, when these fears are constant, they can disable an individual. Panic disorder (PD) it’s a mental illness that leads a person to have recurring panic attacks, (Strickland, 2001). Panic attacks in people with PD arise unexpectedly, situationally predisposed and / or by situations that remind them experienced dreadful events. PD can be categorized under two types: PD with or without agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is the fear of being in a situation or place in which the person thinks that would be difficult or embarrassing to escape. Some individuals develop agoraphobia after the first episodes of panic attacks; others acquire it years later, (Key, 2012).
Anxiety and Panic Hub. (1998-2002). Anxiety and Panic Hub- anxiety attacks, panic attacks. Available: http://www.paems.com.au/about/anxdis/dissociation.html. (4/30/02).
Severe anxiety, which can be described as an episode of terror, is referred to as a panic attack. Panic attacks can be extremely frightening. People who experience panic attacks over a prolonged time period may become victims of agoraphobia, which is a psychiatric disorder that is closely associated with the panic disorder. Patients with Agoraphobia avoid certain places or situations such as airplanes, crowded theaters, a grocery store or anyplace from which escape might be difficult. It is said that Agoraphobia can be so severe that it has made certain individuals housebound.
An increased heart rate, uncontrollable shaking, and a feeling of suffocation characterize panic attacks. An example of this disorder would be the feeling a person would get while being near water after a near drowning experience. The usual treatment involves controlling the cognitive responses that a patient gets when suffering a panic attack. Individuals that suffer from constant panic attacks are diagnosed with a panic disorder. Panic disorders are characterized by reoccurring panic attacks, people with these disorders also suffer from anxiety about the consequences of further attacks. Patients with a panic disorder can develop agoraphobia; an irrational fear of large crowds.
Panic attacks are the third kind of phobia. They can change the quality of a person’s life. Someone with a phobia this bad may be shopping at the supermarket and suddenly experience dizziness and a feeling of being out of control. At that moment, the person experiences a fear of dying, with no safe place to go. When this happens more than once, the person might think they are going crazy. Someone with panic attacks soon won’t leave the house because of fear of a panic attack happening outside the house. Soon, depression s...
Fear and Anxiety are essential functions that occur in the brain that allow people to respond to stimuli appropriately. These feelings as normal as they are can cause problems and in 3.1 percent of adult Americans approximately 6.8 million people it does cause problems (“Generalized anxiety disorder”, 2014). A problem can arise when people have too much fear and anxiety; a problem is evident when it interferes with their life and their ability to do things. This is known as general anxiety disorder (GAD). When someone is suffering from generalized anxiety disorder they normally experience excessive exaggerated anxiety and worry about normal life events that give no clear reason for worry (“Generalized anxiety disorder”, 2014). This disorder can be debilitating and rule over people’s lives if it is severe and a better understanding of the disorder can be gained by looking at historical views, current views, causes and symptoms, case studies, differential diagnosis considerations, and treatment.
Beck, A. T., & Steer, R. (1993). Beck Anxiety Inventory 1993 Edition. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
The condition of Donald can be described as a long term, constant and at times disabling conditions; that can be described as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is the anxiety disorder that has affected about 3.1 % of American adults that are age from 18 to older (2013, National Institute of Mental Health).
If you are in a life or death situation, every decision you make stacks the odds either for or against you. Once you make a few bad decisions, you realize that your chances for survival are getting slimmer and slimmer. As this fact settles into your conscious mind, it produces panic. Panic is what happens when the brain can't handle the information it is given. Panic takes over rationality, and as a result, you do and say things that are uncharacteristic of you. Panic destroys your self confidence.
Understanding and analyzing fear is a step to become fearless. Question until you understand something don’t go through life insecure. When you feel the sensation of fear you get scared and realize that you aren’t as brave as you thought, but you are capable of not being afraid anymore. Deconstructing fear is a way of gaining confidence. Once you become fearless life becomes limitless. Throughout life people are afraid of certain things not because they aren’t capable of doing it, but it is the fear that is the cause of their unwillingness. Results on fear are often held back by false assumptions of weakness. People live in fear, if you want to achieve success then don’t doubt yourself. Set fearlessness as an ideal as an ideal to dream about being fearless and the better you will be. Just because you try something for the first time and it doesn't come out as you expected doesn’t mean that it won't come out right the next time. Don’t give up and try until you succeed. In order to grow you have to challenge yourself. Confront your fears so that you aren’t scared
National Institute of Mental Health. (2009). Studying anxiety disorders. NIH Medline plus, 5, 13-15. Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/anxiety-disorders/complete-index.shtml