Panic Disorder & Panic Attacks: Symptoms, Causes, & Treatment

About 35% of people will experience a panic attack in their lifetime, with up to 11% of the US population experiencing one every year. Although panic attacks can be highly alarming, they are non-life-threatening. Nonetheless, it is important to stay educated on what a panic attack is and to know when to seek treatment.

Read on to learn about panic attacks, panic disorder, and where to find compassionate help. 

What Is Panic Disorder?

Panic disorder is a disorder where individuals have frequent and unexpected panic attacks. Panic attacks have different symptoms, triggers, and warning signs. Panic disorder tends to begin during the late teens and early adulthood period, and more women have it than men.  

Signs and Symptoms of Panic Disorder

Those who have panic disorder might experience any of the following symptoms:

• Sudden, repetitive, and seemingly random panic attacks
• A repeated feeling of overwhelming anxiety and fear
• A feeling of losing control or being out of control 
• Intense fear of death or impending doom 
• Intense worry about when another panic attack will happen
• Avoiding places where a panic attack has occurred in the past
• Physical symptoms of a panic attack, such as a racing heart and difficulty breathing

Causes of Panic Disorder

There is no known reason that panic disorder occurs. It can run in the family, but there is no evidence showing why some family members develop it while others do not. Some researchers believe that panic attacks occur because our body’s survival instincts are overactive. Although there is no confirmed reason panic disorders occur, a combination of factors can contribute to someone developing it. These factors include:

• Genetics
• Trauma, PTSD, and stressful/negative  life events—such as the loss of a loved one
• An imbalance in neurotransmitters
• Temperament that is more sensitive to stress
• Drug abuse
• Mental disorders, like OCD or separation anxiety disorder
• Excessive caffeine 

How Is Panic Disorder Diagnosed? 

Usually, panic disorder is diagnosed by speaking to a health care provider. They will want to hear your history with feelings of panic and may conduct a physical exam or blood tests to be sure that your symptoms are not the cause of an unrelated physical problem. 

After speaking to a healthcare provider, individuals are usually then referred to a mental health professional—like a psychiatrist, psychologist, or clinical social worker—to confirm the diagnosis. 

Treatment for Panic Disorder

Treatment for panic disorder typically involves a combination of medication and psychotherapy, which is also known as talk therapy. 

Medication for Panic Disorder: The kind of medication prescribed for panic disorder is up to your health care provider and/or psychiatrist. However, there are a variety of medications that can help treat panic disorder. These include antidepressants like serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors  (SNRIs). Others include beta-blockers—such as Acebutolol, Bisoprolol, or Nadolol—and anti-anxiety medications, like benzodiazepines. 

Therapy for Panic Disorder: Cognitive behavioral therapy, also known as CBT, is a common treatment for panic disorder. It is a form of psychotherapy in which the patient is taught different ways of thinking, behaving, and reacting to feelings that may arise before or during a panic attack. Exposure therapy and talk therapy are also forms of psychotherapy that can help an individual manage panic disorder. 

What Is a Panic Attack? 

As the main symptom of panic disorder, being able to know the signs and identify a panic attack is important. A panic attack is characterized by a sudden feeling of fear and panic, coupled with intense physical reactions. The feelings from a panic attack are temporary and can pass within a matter of minutes. 

Signs You’re Having a Panic Attack

Signs you’re having a panic attack include experiencing strong feelings of panic, fear, doom, or anxiety. Before the panic attack happens, you may be experiencing mild panic that feels like it is building up, or a sense of detachment and derealization.

Common Panic Attack Symptoms

Along with intense emotions, panic attacks also occur alongside intense physical symptoms, including:

• A racing heart
• Sweating
• Nausea or stomach pain
• Intense terror
• A choking or smothering sensation
• Hyperventilating
• Chills
• Trembling
• Dizziness or weakness
• Tingly or numb hands
• Chest pain

How Long Does a Panic Attack Last?

Panic attacks typically last from five to 20 minutes. However, they may last up to an hour. In such cases, it means that multiple panic attacks occurred back to back and that your body wasn’t able to regulate; high anxiety levels persisted after the first attack. 

Although panic attacks typically pass within 20 minutes, the aftereffects of a panic attack can last well past that. People may feel emotionally unwell for the next day or so, shaken from the intense experience of a panic attack, especially if it is their first one. Sometimes, nausea and dizziness can persist past the twenty-minute mark. 

What Causes Panic Attacks?

Although medical professionals and researchers are not entirely sure what causes panic attacks exactly, speculation points to emotional or physical triggers, dysregulated nervous symptoms, disorders like PTSD or mood disorders, or even genetics. 

Panic Attack Treatments

Similar to panic disorder, panic attack treatment consists of a blend of therapy and medication. However, if you or someone else is having a panic attack, there are a couple of things to do in the moment to help the panic pass. 

Here is how to help someone who is experiencing a panic attack:

• Try helping them focus on tangible things, such as the color of the room. You can also have the person sit or lie on the floor to feel the solidness of the ground beneath them. 
• Distract them using the 5-4-3-2-1 technique: 5 things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.
• Gently reassuring the person that they are safe and that the feelings of panic are temporary. 
• Offering cold water to drink. Cold water can also help regulate your nervous system, so you can try putting the person’s hand in cold water or putting an ice-cold cloth on their neck.

At the end of the day, simply being with a person experiencing a panic attack and reminding them they are not alone is the best thing to do. Since there is no way to completely snap someone out of a panic attack, being with the person through the experience is sometimes the best support. 

What Is the Difference Between Panic Attacks and Anxiety Attacks? 

The difference between a panic attack and an anxiety attack is the random nature of a panic attack and the intense physical symptoms that come with it. With anxiety attacks, they are usually triggered by a stressor and build up over time. Although anxiety attacks may also come with physical symptoms, like muscle tension or nausea, they are not always as intense as panic attacks and may just feel like a prolonged sense of uneasiness. 

How To Support Myself or Others That Have Panic Disorder

If you or a loved one suffers from panic disorder, it is important to seek medical treatment and therapy. Because panic disorders can be debilitating, the proper treatment can provide support to help individuals move through life properly and with the right tools to handle panic. Help yourself or a loved one by finding a good mental health treatment center near you. 

Get Compassionate Treatment for Panic Disorders at Connections

You don’t have to handle a panic disorder alone. Connections is here for you by providing a safe, family-like environment for you or your loved one’s mental health treatment. 

We offer:

• 24/7 supervision
• Individualized care
• Medication management
• Comfortable and safe accommodations
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Dialectical behavioral therapy
• Motivational interviewing

Our science-backed services can help treat a range of different mental health conditions, like panic disorder, but also including:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Mood disorders
• Eating disorders
• Suicidal ideation

Our compassion-first residential mental health program is focused on treating the person as a whole—not just their symptoms. Join Connections and see the difference that a luxury mental health facility can make in your recovery journey. 
Call 844-759-0999 to learn more about our exceptional mental health care.