Panic Attacks
Panic disorder causes you to have regular attacks of panic, stress and anxiety, often for no obvious reason. During panic attacks you experience physical symptoms such as a racing heartbeat, nausea and chest pain, and can feel like you are about to die, pass out, lose control or go mad. We asked Paul Salkovskis, professor of clinical psychology at King’s College London, what he'd want to know if he was diagnosed with panic disorder.
How is panic disorder different to anxiety?
In panic disorder, people experience moments of intense anxiety combined with physical symptoms, and this often comes unexpectedly. There can be a sense of dread that something really horrible is going to happen, like a feeling you’re going to die. This is quite different to general worrying, where you might be concerned about, say, your bank balance, and different to generalised anxiety disorder, where you tend to worry about a whole range of life events.
What physical symptoms happen during panic attacks?
As well as experiencing a sudden, often unexpected increase in intense anxiety, you will often feel a number of physical symptoms that make you feel like you're losing control. These can include your heart pounding, feeling out of breath or sick, numbness and tingling. These physical signs are extremely alarming.
Is panic disorder easy to diagnose?
People who suffer from panic attacks often seek help early on, because they’re actually seeking help for something else: they think they’re having a heart attack or stroke. This makes panic disorder easier to identify than most other anxiety disorders. GPs are very good at diagnosing panic attacks, so you’re likely to get diagnosed early on.
How serious is it?
Some people might see panic disorder as being relatively trivial, but at its most extreme it can take over your life. Some people become housebound for 20 or 30 years. So it's important to know the facts. Panic attacks always pass and the symptoms are not a sign of anything harmful happening. It's also important to resist avoidance of and restrictions on daily activities.
What should people around me do if I'm having a panic attack?
If you’re having a short and sudden panic attack, it can be helpful for someone to be with you, reassuring you it will soon pass and that the symptoms are nothing to worry about. Then you need to try to work out with them what particular stress you might be under that could make your symptoms worse.
How is panic disorder treated?
Antidepressants and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) are the two recommended treatments for panic disorder. If your doctor prescribes antidepressants, it’s a good idea to take them as prescribed for at least a year and then gradually stop taking them, because there is a risk of relapse if they’re stopped rapidly. CBT is particularly effective. Most people will be completely free of panic disorder at the end of therapy and remain that way.