Panic
Attacks
Panic attacks
are characterised by unexpected and repeated episodes of intense
fear which are accompanied by physical symptoms that may include
chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness,
or abdominal distress. These sensations often mimic symptoms of
a heart attack or other life-threatening conditions. As a
result, the diagnosis of panic
disorder is frequently not made until extensive and
costly medical procedures fail to provide a correct diagnosis or
relief.
Many
people with panic attacks develop intense anxiety between
episodes, worrying when and where the next one will strike.
Fortunately, through research supported by the National
Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), effective treatments have
been developed to help people with panic disorder.
This treatment can include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
The
exact cause of panic attacks and the disorder is unknown and is
the subject of intense debate and investigation. Possible causes
include heredity, other biological factors, stressful life
events, and overreacting to normal bodily sensations. Some
research suggests panic attacks occur when a “suffocation
alarm mechanism” in the brain erroneously fires, falsely
reporting that death is imminent.
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Addiction Obsessive-compulsive
Disorder
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