THERE ARE situations where it might be normal to feel anxiety or fear. For example, the telephone rings in the middle of the night, the children are not home at the usual time or a spouse is out at an unusual time.
But for people with panic disorder, feelings of intense fear can occur for no apparent reason and in places or situations that would not upset most people. Here are some examples:
standing in line at the grocery store, a man suddenly has sweaty palms, feels his heart pounding and has to leave because of the feeling that he might lose control and do something strange;
driving to work a woman unexpectedly has the intense feeling that something terrible is about to happen and she starts to sweat and her heart beats fast. She has to stop the car abruptly;
travelling in the crowded minibus a woman feels sick to her stomach because she feels she may be trapped if something happens.
Panic disorder is characterised by repeated panic attacks, that is, sudden periods of intense fear, that often come on "out of the blue." It typically begins in the period between young adulthood and the mid-30s and is more common in women.
Signs and symptoms of panic disorder include panic attacks which generally refer to four (or more) of the following: pounding heart, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, feeling of choking, chest pain or discomfort, nausea or stomach pain, feeling dizzy, lightheaded or faint feeling, detachment from reality, fear of losing control or "going crazy", fear of dying, numbness or tingling feelings, chills or hot flashes.
The panic attacks are followed by at least a month constant worry about having another attack; a change in behaviour to avoid having another attack; constant worry about the effect of the attacks (for example, that they will lead to a heart attack or "nervous breakdown"); worry about being in crowds, riding in elevators, driving over bridges, being outside the home alone or using public transportation
Panic disorder can be treated with medicine alone, psychotherapy, or a combination. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that helps a person to learn to understand the condition better and to cope.
- Dr. Earl Wright, psychiatrist.
