How to Identify Signs of a Panic Disorder

A panic disorder is a repetitive, and often unexpected, reaction to situations that cause intense fear or anxiety that leads to a sense of impending doom or panic. Classified as an anxiety disorder, it affects more females than males, especially those ranging in age from 25 to 45 years old. Sometimes, such an anxiety attack may even occur while an individual is sleeping, but most commonly, panic attacks occur during waking hours and in a wide range of scenarios.In most individuals, symptoms of panic disorders typically last a few minutes, while others may last hours. Some individuals may experience one attack that is never repeated, while others experience chronic attacks on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.Panic disorders or attacks affect the central nervous system as well as the heart, the lungs and even the skin and sensations in the hands and feet. Learning to identify signs of a panic attack may help to reduce its severity and even avoid complications such as long-term depression, anxiety at work and problematic social behaviors.

Instructions

• 1

  Pay attention to how your body reacts to surprise or stress. In most individuals, a panic attack or anxiety attack will cause a racing or pounding heartbeat, or the sensation that the heart is skipping beats. Sometimes, a pounding heart may cause some chest pain and even shortness of breath.

• 2

  Assess other ways in which your body may be reacting to a stressful or emotional situation. Do you suddenly feel like you have a literal "lump in the throat"? Do you feel like you can't get enough air? These are symtpoms of a panic attack or anxiety disorder.

• 3

  Watch for signs of weakness, dizziness or a sensation of being light-headed. These sensations are often accompanied by profuse sweating and feeling like your legs won't hold you up.

• 4

  Look at your hands. Are you trembling? Sometimes, we all shake when we're nervous or scared, but an anxiety attack can make our hands shake almost uncontrollably. This trembling may also be accompanied by a tingling sensation in the hands or fingers. Some individuals feel a flush or sensation of chills course through his body during a panic attack, though to varying degrees.

• 5

  Pay attention to your emotions and feelings at any time of stress or worry. Are you ready to run at the slightest sound? Do you sense fear or impending doom or an overwhelming sense of dread? Such fears only provoke more fears and often lead individuals to feel like they're going crazy. If you have such symptoms, schedule a visit with your physician to discuss possible causes and potential treatments.