Symptoms and Diagnosis
The classic "fight-or-flight" response during a panic attack is triggered by this part of the nervous system.
What is the sympathetic nervous system?
Panic disorder can run in families, suggesting this type of factor plays a role in its development.
What are genetic factors?
Often considered a first-line treatment for panic disorder, this therapy helps people change their thinking and behaviors.
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?
The key difference between a panic attack and panic disorder is the persistent fear of having another one, which lasts for at least this long.
What is one month?
Contrary to popular belief, people experiencing a panic attack can't just do this to make the attack stop.
What is "calm down"?
Beyond a racing heart, this feeling of being detached from one's body or surroundings is a key symptom of a panic attack.
What is depersonalization or derealization?
While not the sole cause, major stressful life events are often reported right before a person's first panic attack.
What is the connection between stress and panic attacks?
For immediate, short-term relief during a panic attack, a doctor might prescribe this class of medication.
What are benzodiazepines?
The repeated, unexpected nature of panic attacks is a defining characteristic of this diagnosis.
What is panic disorder?
One major misconception is that panic attacks are a sign of this kind of health problem, rather than an anxiety disorder.
What is a heart condition?
Because its physical symptoms, like chest pain, can feel so severe, a panic attack is often mistaken for this medical emergency.
What is a heart attack?
This gender is twice as likely as the other to develop panic disorder.
What are women?
This type of drug, which includes SSRIs, is a common long-term medication used to prevent panic attacks.
What are antidepressants
This is the general time of life when panic disorder often first appears.
What is the late teenage years or early adulthood?
A major difference between panic attacks and other forms of anxiety is that panic attacks are often this, having no clear trigger.
What is unexpected or unprovoked?
A diagnosis of panic disorder requires not just recurring attacks, but also at least one month of persistent worry about future attacks or their consequences. This is also called what?
What is anticipatory anxiety?
Some research suggests a role for abnormal activity in this small, almond-shaped brain structure, which is involved in coordinating fear.
What is the amygdala?
This simple breathing exercise can help someone having a panic attack by controlling their breathing and refocusing their attention.
What is box breathing
People with panic disorder frequently experience this kind of worry about the symptoms and consequences of another panic attack.
What is anticipatory anxiety?
Though they are emotionally and physically intense, people cannot die or lose their minds during a panic attack, making this a major misconception.
What is the belief that a panic attack is fatal?
The avoidance of situations where a panic attack has occurred or where escape might be difficult is known by this term, often a complication of panic disorder.
What is agoraphobia?
Experiencing adverse events during childhood, or childhood trauma, can increase one's risk of developing this disorder later in life.
What is the connection between childhood trauma and panic disorder?
This therapy technique involves gradual exposure to a feared situation or physical sensation to reduce anxiety over time.
What is exposure therapy
The fear of going to places or situations from which escape might be difficult or embarrassing in the event of a panic attack.
What is agoraphobia?
The common misconception that you can recognize a person with a mental illness just by looking at them applies to panic disorder in this way.
What is that someone having an attack always appears outwardly distressed?