What is panic disorder?
Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder characterized by repeated and unexpected panic attacks. A panic attack is a sudden, extreme fear or discomfort that peaks within a few minutes and includes a variety of physical and cognitive symptoms. People with panic disorder often live in fear of another panic attack, and they may also change their behavior significantly to avoid situations that they think may cause the attack.
The cause of panic disorder...?
The exact cause of panic disorder is not fully identified, but it is known to be caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. The main contributors are as follows.
1. Genetics:
-Family history: panic disorder often has a family history, suggesting a genetic predisposition. People with immediate relatives (e.g., parents or siblings) with panic disorder are at a higher risk of developing the condition.
2. Biological factors:
-Neurotransmitter imbalance: Abnormal levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which are involved in mood control and stress response, can contribute to panic disorder.
-Brain Function: Abnormalities in the brain region related to fear and anxiety, such as the amygdala and prefrontal cortex, can play an important role. Functional and structural changes in this region can affect how the brain processes fear and stress.
3. Psychological factors:
-Personality traits: Certain personality traits, such as high levels of neurosis (tend to experience negative emotions) and sensitivity to stress, can increase the risk of developing panic disorder.
-Cognitive Factors: Individuals who tend to have catastrophic thinking that interprets normal body sensations in ways that induce extreme fear are more likely to experience panic attacks and develop panic disorder.
4. Environmental factors:
-Stressful Life Events: Severe life stressors such as the death of a loved one, divorce, unemployment, or other major life-changing factors can cause panic attacks and contribute to the development of panic disorder.
-Trauma: Past trauma experiences, such as physical or sexual abuse, can increase vulnerability to panic disorder.
Understanding the multifaceted nature of the causes of panic disorder helps to develop a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses the disorder from various angles, including biological, psychological, and environmental interventions. Early diagnosis and treatment can significantly improve outcomes for patients with panic disorder.
Panic attacks
Early symptoms of panic disorder...?
Early symptoms of panic disorder mainly revolve around the onset of an unexpected panic attack and subsequent worries about these episodes. Early identification of these symptoms can be important for timely treatment. The main initial symptoms are as follows.
1. Repeated panic attacks:
-Sudden Outbreak: Panic attacks often happen suddenly without notice.
This can happen at any time during sleep.
-Intense Fear: an episode of extreme fear or discomfort that peaks in minutes.
2. Physical symptoms during panic attacks:
-Heart pounding: My heart is beating or pounding.
-Sweat: excessive sweating often unrelated to temperature.
-Tremors or tremors: Uncontrollable shaking or tremors.
-Breathless: feeling suffocated or suffocating.
-Chest pain: It can be mistaken for a heart attack due to chest discomfort or pain.
-Nausea or abdominal discomfort: Feeling nauseous or having an upset stomach.
-Giddy: I feel dizzy, unstable, or faint.
-Chills or facial flushing: suddenly feeling cold or overheated.
-Sensory abnormality: especially numbness or tingling sensation in the extremities.
3. Cognitive symptoms during panic attacks:
-Fear of losing control: feeling like losing control or going crazy.
-Fear of death: a strong fear that something life-threatening is happening, such as a heart attack or stroke.
-[Derealization] It's out of touch with reality, or you feel that things around you are unrealistic.
-Authentication: Feeling separated from yourself as if you were observing yourself outside your body.
4. Continuous change of concern and behavior:
-Anticipated Anxiety: With constant worry about more panic attacks, it often happens between panic attacks.
-Behavioural change: Avoid places or situations that may be difficult to escape if you have a previous panic attack or have a panic attack (this can lead to agoraphobia).
5. Functional failure:
-Impact on daily life: Difficulty performing normal daily activities, work responsibilities, or social engagement due to fear of another seizure.
-Deterioration in quality of life: Overall well-being and life satisfaction are decreased by persistent anxiety and avoidance behaviors.
