Tell Me More About Panic Anxiety Disorder (PD).
4. Everyone faces some panic occasionally. How is PD different?
For most people who experience a panic attack the experience can be quite frightening but it is often understood as being due to stress or tiredness. For most panic attacks, there is no expectation that another attack might occur without cause.
To be diagnosed with PD, the attacks must come out of the blue on at least one occasion, and must be accompanied by at least four physical anxiety symptoms, followed by either continuing attacks or the intense fear that they might come back. The use of avoidance of feared situations to control anxiety can limit activity a great deal. The anxiety must cause significant distress and impairment in the usual roles at home, work or school.
Reference
Norton GR, Cox BJ and Malan J 1992. Nonclinical panickers: A critical review. Clinical Psychology Review, 12, 121-139. |
