Panic disorder

A panic attack can occur suddenly, without reason, on its own, or may be preceded by a trigger. The person experiences severe anxiety, is overwhelmed by fear, is in a state of panic, and does not have the power to overcome it. Mainly during an episode, fear of losing consciousness, death, madness, and loss of control occurred. A complete sense of helplessness and despair consumes the person.

A panic attack is accompanied by physical symptoms, which further intensifies the fear:

• Nausea/abdominal discomfort
• Shortness of breath/breathing difficulty
• The feeling of suffocation/loss of consciousness
• Rapid heartbeat
• Discomfort, pain in the chest area
• Dizziness
• Blurred vision
• Sweating
• Loss of sensation/tingling sensations
• Shaking
• Sudden facial redness
• Chills/feeling of burning or warmth in the skin
• Ringing in the ears
• Derealisation

is experiencing the environment as changed or unfamiliar. It can occur as an independent phenomenon or alongside other mental issues. It often manifests during exhaustion, insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, or other psycho-emotional pathological states.

• Depersonalisation

is the sense of estrangement from one's own body or self. The person feels that their thoughts, emotions, personality, and appearance are altered or estranged. It can occur during panic attacks, depression, anxiety, or other disorders or as an independent phenomenon, though it is relatively rare.

Social activity and work performance of individuals with panic attacks are diminished as they are consumed by the fear that such intolerable experiences may repeat at any time.

Treatment:

• Pharmacotherapy
• Psychotherapy

Source: Katzman MA, Bleau P, Blier P, et al. Canadian clinical practice guidelines for the management of anxiety, posttraumatic stress and obsessive-compulsive disorders. BMC Psychiatry. 2014;14(Suppl 1):S1. doi:10.1186/1471-244X-14-S1-S1