Panic Disorder??

Panic disorder is a real illness that can be successfully treated. It is characterized by sudden attacks of terror, usually accompanied by a pounding heart, sweatiness, weakness, faintness, or dizziness. During these attacks, people with panic disorder may flush or feel chilled; their hands may tingle or feel numb; and they may experience nausea, chest pain, or smothering sensations. Panic attacks usually produce a sense of unreality, a fear of impending doom, or a fear of losing control.

A fear of one's own unexplained physical symptoms is also a symptom of panic disorder. People having panic attacks sometimes believe they are having heart attacks, losing their minds, or on the verge of death. They can't predict when or where an attack will occur, and between episodes many worry intensely and dread the next attack.

Panic attacks can occur at any time, even during sleep. An attack usually peaks within 10 minutes, but some symptoms may last much longer. Panic disorder affects about 6 million American adults and is twice as common in women as men. Panic attacks often begin in late adolescence or early adulthood, but not everyone who experiences panic attacks will develop panic disorder. Many people have just one attack and never have another. The tendency to develop panic attacks appears to be inherited.

People who have full-blown, repeated panic attacks can become very disabled by their condition and should seek treatment before they start to avoid places or situations where panic attacks have occurred. For example, if a panic attack happened in an elevator, someone with panic disorder may develop a fear of elevators that could affect the choice of a job or an apartment, and restrict where that person can seek medical attention or enjoy entertainment.

Some people's lives become so restricted that they avoid normal activities, such as grocery shopping or driving. About one-third become housebound or are able to confront a feared situation only when accompanied by a spouse or other trusted person. When the condition progresses this far, it is called agoraphobia, or fear of open spaces.

Early treatment can often prevent agoraphobia, but people with panic disorder may sometimes go from doctor to doctor for years and visit the emergency room repeatedly before someone correctly diagnoses their condition. This is unfortunate, because panic disorder is one of the most treatable of all the anxiety disorders, responding in most cases to certain kinds of medication or certain kinds of cognitive psychotherapy, which help change thinking patterns that lead to fear and anxiety.

Panic disorder is often accompanied by other serious problems, such as depression, drug abuse, or alcoholism. These conditions need to be treated separately. Symptoms of depression include feelings of sadness or hopelessness, changes in appetite or sleep patterns, low energy, and difficulty concentrating. Most people with depression can be effectively treated with antidepressant medications, certain types of psychotherapy, or a combination of the two.

Its when you have sudden bouts of intense fear that last a few minutes or so, sometimes you can feel like your about to die. No reason for it it just happens to you. You tremble, sweat and your chest feels really tight. I have it and in my case I feel like I've just smoked an entire pack of cigerettes at once. Your heart beats way too fast too. My doctor gave me xanex but it made me so sleepy I couldn't take it day or night because the next day I couldn't wake up good. I just deal with it, I'm told thats not a good idea but I hate feeling like a zombie. Another doctor gave me wellbutrin, that didn't really work out for me either although I've heard it works better for some.

I suffer from panic attacks.

Panic attacks are very common
They consist of a sudden onset of INTENSE APPREHENSION, fear or terror accompanied by PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS such as:

Difficulty breathing;
Dizziness;
Palpitations;
Chest pains;
Tingling sensations;
Shaking;
Sweating;
Visual problems;
Feelings of unreality;
Wobbly, shaky legs.

The thoughts that accompany these symptoms are often negative and scary e.g: "I'm going to loose control", "I'm going mad", "I'm having a heart attack".

These thoughts are misinterpretations of the physical symptoms. These thoughts increase the anxiety symptoms and an upwardly spiralling vicious circle of thoughts and physical symptoms is created.

When we experience this fear, physical and worrying thoughts our natural reaction is to escape. This avoidance brings temporary relief, but increases the likelihood of further apprehension, negative thoughts, bodily symptoms and the development of a phobic reaction.

That is the definition of a Panic Attack if this is you then the answer is yes and you should see a doctor asap.

Source(s):

Anxiety and Panic Attacks- Understanding it, Thinking about it, Dealing with it.
Provided by my psychologist.