Panic Disorder Symptoms: What They Are and Why They Occur
No matter how hard you try, you can’t explain why it happens. You will be walking through the grocery store when your heart rate picks up, sweat beads on your forehead, and you can’t shake the feeling that something bad is about to happen. Why does this keep happening to you?
Panic disorder affects approximately 6 million people in the U.S. each year, with women being twice as likely as men to develop the condition. Left untreated, symptoms can be debilitating and keep you from living your life.
Clean Recovery Centers has an expert team of professionals who understand how disrupting panic disorder can be. Let’s talk about panic disorder symptoms, what causes them, and how to effectively manage them in the future.
Understanding Panic Disorder: What It Is and How It Affects You
Panic disorder is a mental health condition characterized by recurring and unexpected panic attacks. These attacks are sudden episodes of intense fear and discomfort that last minutes at a time and include a range of distressing physical and emotional symptoms. Unlike ordinary fear responses to real danger, panic disorder triggers excessive and irrational fear even in safe environments.
For those with panic disorder, having the first attack often leads to the fear of having another attack. This can cause overwhelming feelings of worry, leading to avoidance behaviors that negatively impact daily life. Panic disorder may also interfere with work, relationships, and social activities, creating a cycle of anxiety that continuously builds over time. When left untreated, panic disorder contributes to worsening mental health, such as developing depression, and the fear of attacks begins to dictate their whole life.
How Panic Disorder Differs from Everyday Anxiety
Anxiety is a normal response to stressful situations and can even be beneficial in small amounts. When fear is triggered, the fight or flight response kicks in, alerting the body and mind to react to the stress. However, panic disorder goes beyond typical anxiety by suddenly triggering the fight or flight response without a clear or immediate threat.
Those with an anxiety disorder, such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or phobia, also have the same response when faced with stress or fear, though it is much more amplified than everyday anxiety. The key difference between panic disorder and these conditions is that they have a specific trigger. Someone with a phobia of spiders will have anxiety symptoms when they see one. Those with GAD may fear social situations and have increased stress leading up to a gathering.
With panic disorder, a panic attack can occur without any obvious trigger. While certain situations, people, or places may sometimes provoke an attack, they are not required for one to happen. Due to this unpredictability, many who are living with untreated panic disorder avoid public settings in an effort to reduce the risk of experiencing an attack.
Who Is at Risk? Causes and Triggers of Panic Disorder
As with many mental health conditions, the exact cause of panic disorder is not entirely understood. A combination of genetic and environmental factors do play a role in its development, but they do not guarantee panic disorder will occur.
One of the main triggers for panic disorder is stress. Experiencing a significant life stressor – job loss, financial hardship, or loss of a loved one – can cause panic disorder to develop. A driving factor behind this is having a poor stress response. Those who are prone to negative emotions or have a high sensitivity to stress are more likely to develop panic disorder.
Substance use also can bring on panic disorder or worsen the symptoms. Stimulants like cocaine and meth can trigger panic attacks as well as heighten anxiety. These substances cause rapid heart rate, increased blood pressure, and tremors, all of which mimic panic attack symptoms. Besides physical symptoms, stimulants also increase paranoia, furthering perceived fear and triggering panic.
Recognizing the Signs: Common Symptoms of Panic Disorder
Panic disorder symptoms have a sudden and intense onset that affects both the body and mind. Some of the most common symptoms of a panic attack include:
- Rapid heart rate
- Difficulty taking breaths
- Chest tightness or pain
- Dizziness
- Sweating and trembling
- Nausea or abdominal discomfort (feeling a knot in the stomach)
- Intense fear of losing control
- A sense of approaching doom or danger
Panic attacks are not life-threatening and symptoms begin to resolve within 5-20 minutes. This does not make them any less scary, and it is always best to consult your doctor after one occurs. You may have an underlying condition that triggered the attack or need an adjustment in your treatment regime for panic disorder.
While panic attacks are the main characteristic of panic disorder, the condition itself causes symptoms beyond the attacks. These include:
- Avoiding social gatherings or places where people are present, in fear of having a panic attack
- Poor work or school performance
- Losing interest in hobbies or activities you once enjoyed
- Regular panic attacks
- Feeling disconnected from your surroundings
Inside a Panic Attack: What Happens and How It Feels
A panic attack is an overwhelming surge of fear and discomfort that can feel debilitating. You may be walking through the grocery store, sitting at your desk working, or even at home watching TV when a panic attack occurs. As a panic attack sets in, it typically follows a standard pattern.
The attack will begin suddenly and unexpectedly. Panic attacks strike without warning, often occurring in situations where no real threat is present. Symptoms will begin and peak intensely, usually within 5-10 minutes. The body will react as if it’s in danger, and the fight or flight response will trigger. The heart races, breathing becomes shallow, and muscles tense. Cognitive distress then sets in, with thoughts focusing on imminent harm or death.
As the attack continues, symptoms will lessen in intensity and begin to resolve. Most panic attacks subside after 20-30 minutes, though lingering fear and exhaustion may persist for hours. The body has just responded to a perceived threat the same way it would if there was real danger present – it will take time to rest and regain strength and normal function.
Taking Control: 6 Effective Strategies for Managing Panic Disorder Symptoms
Effectively managing panic disorder will entail a combination of lifestyle changes, therapy, coping techniques, and for some, medications. Here are some strategies that offer relief:
- Exposure therapy (ET): This specific therapy gradually exposes you to feared situations in a controlled environment, which helps desensitize you to known triggers and face them head-on.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): A form of talk therapy that helps you recognize and reframe irrational thoughts that may be contributing to panic attacks.
- Breathing techniques: Practicing slow, deep breathing can prevent hyperventilation and help calm the nervous system. One method is the 4-4-4, where you will inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, and hold again for 4 seconds. Repeat the process to settle nerves and heart rate.
- Mindfulness and meditation: These practices help you stay present and reduce anxious thoughts. A preferred method is grounding techniques, such as holding an object. You can carry a specific object around such as a small rock, keychain, or piece of fabric to use during times of high anxiety or panic. Close your eyes and focus on the feel of the object – how many sides there are, the feeling of the material, or if there are any bumps or cracks in the surface. This helps by keeping you present in the moment and reducing irrational thoughts.
- Implementing healthy lifestyle choices: Avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine can reduce panic attack frequency. Eating a balanced diet that incorporates fish, nuts, berries, and leafy greens helps promote healthy brain function. Also, physical activity releases endorphins that promote relaxation and stress reduction.
- Have a support system: Connecting with family, friends, or support groups provides reassurance and encouragement. Specific groups for panic disorder will give you a space to listen to other’s experiences and share your own, opening the door for further insight.
Getting Treatment for Panic Disorder in Tampa, FL
Panic disorder can have you living in fear of another attack, but it does not have to be this way forever. There are healthy and effective ways to keep your fight or flight response in check and panic attacks at bay. Panic disorder treatment will provide you with therapies, coping skill development, and in some cases medications to manage excessive feelings of worry and fear. You don’t have to keep waiting for another panic attack to arise – entering a treatment program will give you all the tools needed to live a life panic-free.
If you or someone you love is living while waiting for the next panic attack, help is available today. Clean Recovery Centers offers a full-spectrum mental health program with specific therapies targeting panic attacks and triggers. Located on the beautiful Suncoast, all of our locations offer housing options so you will never have to worry about where you will stay. Call us today at (888) 330-2532 to learn more about our program offerings.
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