What is Panic Disorder?
Panic Disorder is a label given to a person who either frequently has panic attacks or who lives their life in fear of having panic attacks and is thus in some way disabled in their social or professional life. The fear of having a panic attack is important, because it is this fear, rather than the attacks themselves, that causes the major impact on life.
Panic attacks have evolved/were designed by god specifically to feel exceedingly nasty. The idea is that they give you the impetus to fight or flee. Panic Attacks are of course completely harmless despite being unpleasant. Panic Disorder is highly treatable. Clare Weekes seminal work Pass Through Panic is a good place to start. Also Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Medication for panic attacks may be helpful.
DSM IV describes panic disorder as: Recurrent unexpected Panic Attacks At least one of the attacks has been followed by 1 month (or more) of one (or more) of the following: Persistent concern about having additional attacks, worry about the implications of the attack or its consequences (e.g., losing control, having a heart attack, "going crazy"), and a significant change in behaviour related to the attacks. For more information on DSM IV, including a complete DSM IV code listing, click here.
So what's the prognosis for a sufferer with Panic Disorder? What's the chance of recovery? The news is good, 70-90% of people make a full recovery with mainstream treatments such as a combination of drugs and CBT. Some people see Panic Disorder as chronic and relapsing, in that you never get over it. This is not the case, if you deal with the cause and inoculate yourself against panic using Claire Weekes' method it definitely can be conquered for ever!
More information here on Panic Disorder from another website.
