Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder, which is characterized by multiple panic attacks and the fear of surrounding these attacks. A panic attack is a sudden surge of overwhelming anxiety and fear. Your heart starts pounding and you can’t seem to catch your breath. Sometimes you may even feel like you’re dying or going crazy. If left untreated, panic attacks can lead to panic disorder and other problems. Panic attacks do not have any identifiable stimuli, and can last from a few seconds to several hours. During an attack the individual feel a sense of impending, unavoidable doom without warning. This disorder has been around since the “stone ages”, however the first documented case was in the 18th century. Psychiatrists during that time described …show more content…
Treatment can help most patients control or stop the attacks. If treatment stop too soon, the symptoms can come back. It is imperative to treat panic attacks early. It prevents the other problems that are related to panic disorder, which include anxiety disorders, depression, and substance abuse. The medicine used for panic attacks and panic disorders are Benzodiazepines, and Antidepressants. Benzodiazepines are anti-anxiety drugs that act very quickly (usually within 30 minutes to an hour). When taking them during a panic attack it provides a rapid relief of the symptoms. This drug is highly addictive and have severe withdrawal symptoms, so they should be used with caution. Antidepressants should be taken continuously, not just during a panic attack, because it takes several weeks before they begin to work. Professional treatment and therapy can make a huge difference when it comes to panic