Symptom of Panic Disorder

When Anxiety Becomes a Symptom of Panic Disorder

Everyone gets apprehensive or nervous from time to time. Some will even experience a panic attack on occasion. But if your panic attacks and anxiety become a regular problem, it may be a symptom of panic disorder. Panic disorder can be identified in someone who has frequent panic attacks to the point of worrying about when the next attack will occur. In fact, the anxiety over the attacks themselves can be a bothersome enough symptom of panic disorder that it forces one to make life choices around when the next episode might happen. For example, someone might begin coming straight home from work instead of heading out with friends for fear a panic attack will strike while she is out.

What Causes a Panic Attack?
Panic attacks can begin for a variety of reasons, including physical conditions, environmental factors and life changing events. Many people may only experience one or two of these attacks in a lifetime. Others may begin to have panic attacks multiple times in a month, until their focus shifts to worrying about when the next attack might occur. This is when a simple panic attack becomes a symptom of panic disorder. This condition can be the result of abnormalities in the brain, a family history of the condition, a major life event that is causing extreme stress, some medications and substance abuse.

If you are suffering from frequent panic attacks that are affecting your quality of life, it is important to talk to your doctor about the problem. This professional can diagnose your condition based on a variety of factors so that you can get the help necessary to get on with your life. The good news is that there are effective treatment options that can begin when the first symptom of panic disorder arises.

Diagnosing a Panic Disorder
Your doctor will consider the symptom of panic disorder that you are experiencing, along with your family and medical histories. There are no specific laboratory tests that can be used to test for a symptom of panic disorder. Instead, your doctor will collect information from you, do a complete physical exam and make his diagnosis from this information. If a panic disorder is diagnosed, there are effective treatment options available that can help you manage the symptom of panic disorder to enjoy more days without anxiety and panic attacks. Treatment usually involves a combination of medication and psychotherapy for best results.

Dealing with panic attacks can be difficult enough, but when they become frequent enough to become a symptom of panic disorder, the condition can completely disrupt your life. If you are finding that your panic attacks are affecting how you live, talk to your doctor about your treatment options today.