Published on Feb 22, 2024 | 4:02 PM
Share Article :
Whereas it's not unusual for adults to have panic attacks, with every one in ten Americans experiencing them annually, one of the defining characteristics of panic disorder is the consistency that they occur among other symptoms. (2) Affecting around 5% of all American adults, panic disorder is an anxiety disorder that is well-known to psychiatrists and healthcare providers alike. (1) Ranging in severity, the condition can affect multiple aspects of a person’s life if left untreated.
Despite being a mental condition, panic disorder symptoms can result in intense physical and mental sensations that can leave a person impaired. As per the Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), those diagnosed with panic disorder will experience regular panic attacks, where one or more episodes are followed by either a persistent fear of having another attack within a month or displaying significant abnormal behavior linked to the attacks. (3)
While the severity of the condition and panic attacks can vary, panic disorder is recognized as a condition that can produce intense mental and physical symptoms, such as:
Physical Symptoms: Panic attacks involve a range of physical sensations, such as:
Mental and Emotional Symptoms: Alongside physical symptoms, panic attacks often involve intense mental and emotional experiences, including:
It should be noted that a symptom of panic disorder does include thoughts of suicide. Medical providers stress that if you are having such thoughts, and especially if you are remotely considering them, you should use the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and dial 988. With personnel who can speak English and Spanish, those working the National Suicide Prevention Hotline are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in all 50 states and five territories.
Anything that initiates your fight or flight response, like a panic attack, will cause a temporary spike in your blood pressure, but will not directly cause chronically high blood pressure. However, in the case of prolonged stress or anxiety, which can occur when panic disorder is left untreated, the possibility of a person developing hypertension grows while their stress remains. (4)
Chest pain is a well-known symptom of panic attacks and panic disorder in general. While not a symptom for all panic attacks, over 70% of all incidences can exhibit the feeling. Additionally, up to 25% of all patients who report feeling chest pain when utilizing emergency services have been diagnosed with or exhibit signs of panic disorder. (5)
Despite where the pain is, chest pain during a panic attack does not necessarily mean a heart attack or life-threatening condition. However, it's important to keep in mind that those with panic disorder are at a slightly increased risk for heart disease and at an even greater risk for conditions like hypertension. It's thereby important to seek out panic disorder treatment and manage the condition when you suspect you may have it.
Fainting from a panic attack is considered rare, with it seldom occurring as a result, and far less so on a regular basis without an underlying condition. Those who hyperventilate during a panic attack may lose consciousness due to the process creating an imbalance of too much oxygen in the body and removing too much carbon dioxide at too fast of a rate. (6)
A common panic disorder symptom, that extends to panic attacks, is the feeling of lightheadedness, dizziness, or that the person feels as though they are floating. In such events where a person regularly loses consciousness or faints, they should seek out medical attention immediately as it could indicate a serious underlying condition.
Focus on your Breathing: Sit or lay down, putting one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth for several minutes until you calm down.
Distract Yourself: Keep a list of things that help you relax, like:
Panic attacks are considered nonfatal, in that they won’t kill you, but can exacerbate conditions that affect your heart or other critical parts of the body. Left untreated, regular panic attacks from a panic disorder can add to conditions that deteriorate your health over time.
Patients with conditions that affect their breathing, like asthma, can worsen the frequency or severity of an asthma attack when associated with panic disorder. It’s thus important to encourage patients who have asthma with anxiety related to seek treatment immediately so as to best manage their health.
A number of studies point to other mental health disorders as the most common conditions that accompany panic disorder. (8) The most common examples include:
Panic disorders do not have one singular source for us to point to and direct blame, but they do have multiple factors that contribute to the condition's development. Like other mental disorders, the factors can be a combination of:
The DSM-5 entails several key points that disqualify normal panic attacks and other conditions. These include experiencing frequent and unexpected panic attacks. Additionally, for a diagnosis of panic disorder, at least one panic attack must be followed by one month or more of ongoing concern about having another attack, persistent fear of the consequences of an attack (such as losing control or having a heart attack), or significant behavioral changes such as avoiding triggering situations. It's also crucial that the panic attacks are not attributed to substance use, medical conditions, or other mental health disorders like social phobia or obsessive-compulsive disorder.
After assessing your history, a provider may conduct a physical exam to rule out other conditions and may refer you to a mental health professional for a diagnosis. Treatment typically involves psychotherapy, like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which teaches coping mechanisms and ways to manage panic attacks through exposure therapy, alongside medication options such as SSRIs, SNRIs, beta-blockers, or benzodiazepines. Medications may have side effects, and finding the right one may take time, but a healthcare provider can help tailor the treatment plan to your needs. (14)
Panic disorder can be treated and managed for long-term relief with a combination of prescriptions and lifestyle changes. (15)
Like depression and other anxiety disorders, there are active steps that can be taken to help reduce the severity of panic disorder and allow a patient to more easily live a normal life. The following can be applied alongside treatment and are not meant to replace treatment. Patients with panic disorder can also develop healthy lifestyle habits such as:
When it comes to getting everything you need to manage panic disorder, Call-On-Doc can help by offering an easy process for your prescription refill and a resource for many of the surrounding health services that you need to stay healthy, so you can put all of your focus on getting healthy. We’re here to help, educate, and be the best telemedicine provider for everyone in the United States!
English graduate and Call-On-Doc’s medical resource guide, Wayne C. Hahne is an experienced and passionate medical education content expert. Through diligent research, provider interviews and utilizing the industry's leading resources for wellness information, it is Mr. Hahne’s personal mission to educate the general public on medical conditions with in-depth and easy-to-understand written guides.
The Call-On-Doc Guide to ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, better known as ADHD, is a common mental disorder that affects millions of people throughout the United States. Identified by a struggle to regularly pay attention alongside hyperactivity and difficulty controlling impulses, the condition can make education and professional environments difficult. Although there is no cure for ADHD, prescription treatment has been shown to be effective for a majority of people to manage their symptoms. While many had confused attention deficit disorder or ADD with ADHD, ADD has now been rolled into the ADHD condition.
Jan 11, 2024 | 3:40 PM
The Call-On-Doc Guide to Anxiety
Anxiety makes it difficult to relax, often resulting from upcoming events, potential problems that may arise, and things that normally will stress you out. Anxiety disorders not only compound those fears and stressors but also make it exceedingly difficult to relax even when the source has passed or dealt with. The most common mental illness in the United States, anxiety disorders affect over 40 million adults and only 36.9% of known cases seek out treatment despite it being an effective option. (1)
Feb 01, 2024 | 3:41 PM
The Call-On-Doc Guide to Depression
Depression affects over 20 million American adults each year, with millions of youths affected as well before they reach adulthood. (1) Defined as a mood disorder, the condition causes what feels like constant sadness alongside difficulty in sustaining a person’s interest, even in subjects or tasks that a person normally enjoys. While depression treatment has proven effective, more than half of adults (54.7%) who experience a depressive episode do not seek out treatment for the condition. (13)
Jan 16, 2024 | 3:43 PM
The Call-On-Doc Guide to ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, better known as ADHD, is a common mental disorder that affects millions of people throughout the United States. Identified by a struggle to regularly pay attention alongside hyperactivity and difficulty controlling impulses, the condition can make education and professional environments difficult. Although there is no cure for ADHD, prescription treatment has been shown to be effective for a majority of people to manage their symptoms. While many had confused attention deficit disorder or ADD with ADHD, ADD has now been rolled into the ADHD condition.
Jan 11, 2024 | 3:40 PM
The Call-On-Doc Guide to Anxiety
Anxiety makes it difficult to relax, often resulting from upcoming events, potential problems that may arise, and things that normally will stress you out. Anxiety disorders not only compound those fears and stressors but also make it exceedingly difficult to relax even when the source has passed or dealt with. The most common mental illness in the United States, anxiety disorders affect over 40 million adults and only 36.9% of known cases seek out treatment despite it being an effective option. (1)
Feb 01, 2024 | 3:41 PM
The Call-On-Doc Guide to Depression
Depression affects over 20 million American adults each year, with millions of youths affected as well before they reach adulthood. (1) Defined as a mood disorder, the condition causes what feels like constant sadness alongside difficulty in sustaining a person’s interest, even in subjects or tasks that a person normally enjoys. While depression treatment has proven effective, more than half of adults (54.7%) who experience a depressive episode do not seek out treatment for the condition. (13)
Jan 16, 2024 | 3:43 PM
Feedback from our amazing patients!
"I can’t believe I did not know about this kind of service! This was absolutely perfect for my health concern and they were able to provide me with the necessary medication and with such cinch. Completely recommended this service. For minor health concerns, this can save you an unnecessary and costly trip to an urgent care center."
"Amazing!! Easy and fast! I didn’t have to take my 4 year old into an urgent care where only god knows what germs are there. The doctor sent the script right to my pharmacy within minutes!!!"
"I would give 10 stars if I could! CallonDoc is literally the reason I am recovering instead of suffering as I write this. I was skeptical at first, but I’m not kidding when I tell you I got prescribed my antibiotics and picked it up at the pharmacy within 2 hours. So instead of waiting & paying around 300$...I paid 40$!! I’m very pleased."
Be the first to know when we offer deals.
Want to learn about a specific topic or condition?