Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder marked by recurrent and unpredictable panic attacks. panic attacks—periodic, short bouts of panic that occur suddenly, reach a peak within minutes, and gradually pass. Sometimes, anxiety can turn into a sudden and overwhelming panic attack. Over 25% of people experience at least one panic attack in their life. The disorder develops in late adolescence or early adulthood. Women are about twice as likely to have it compared to men. People with lower income are 50% more likely to develop panic disorder than wealthier people.

Features of Panic Disorder:

There must be at least 4 of the following symptoms:

•          Fast heartbeat (palpitations)

•          Tingling in hands or feet

•          Shortness of breath

•          Sweating

•          Hot or cold flashes

•          Trembling

•          Chest pain

•          Dizziness

•          a feeling of unreality


The Biological Perspective on Panic Disorder

There are many biological factors that involved in panic disorder.

1.        Antidepressants and norepinephrine:

antidepressant drugs worked better for panic disorder than benzodiazepines. The antidepressants helped by changing the activity of norepinephrine. This suggested that panic disorder might be linked to abnormal norepinephrine activity.

Several studied gives evidence of this. the locus coeruleus is a brain area that use norepinephrine. It acts like an “on–off switch” for norepinephrine activity in the brain. When this area is electrically stimulated in monkeys, the monkeys have a panic-like reaction, suggesting that panic reactions may be related to increases in norepinephrine activity in the locus coeruleus.

2.        Brain circuit

Another factor is Brain circuit. Newer research shows that, panic disorder is more complex than a single chemical or brain area. Panic reactions involve a brain circuit that includes:

o          Amygdala

o          Hippocampus

o          Ventromedial hypothalamus

o          Central gray matter

o          Locus coeruleus

In people with panic disorder, this circuit—and the neurotransmitters working within it—seem to function abnormally.

 

The Cognitive Explanation:

According to cognitive theorists, panic-prone people are very sensitive to body sensations. When they suddenly feel these sensations, they misinterpret them as signs of something dangerous.

Many people with panic disorder overbreathe (hyperventilate) in stressful situations. The abnormal breathing makes them feel like they are suffocating. This thought (“I can’t breathe, I’m in danger”) triggers panic.

Over time, they start believing that these “dangerous” sensations might return at any moment, which makes them even more likely to have future panic attacks.

Biological Challenge Tests

Researchers study panic disorder by Biological Challenge Tests. In Biological Challenge Tests researcher creates these body sensations by giving them drugs, ask people to breathe fast, exercise, or think in certain ways.

People with panic disorder get much more upset during these tests than those without panic disorder.

Anxiety Sensitivity

panic-prone individuals generally have a high level of anxiety sensitivity. This means they:

•          Pay too much attention to body sensations.

•          Struggle to judge them logically.

•          Quickly assume the sensations are harmful.

Research shows that people with high anxiety sensitivity are up to five times more likely to develop panic disorder than others.

 

Cognitive Therapy for Panic Disorder

Cognitive therapists work to fix the way people misinterpret their body sensations.

1. Education:

o          First, therapists explain what panic attacks are, what really causes the body sensations, and how people often misread them as dangerous.

2. New interpretations:

o          Clients learn to think about their sensations more accurately during stressful moments.

o          This helps stop the panic process early, before it grows worse.

3. Coping skills:

o          Therapists teach relaxation and breathing techniques to manage anxiety.

o          Clients also learn ways to distract themselves, like starting a conversation, instead of focusing on their body sensations.

4. Practice with biological challenge tests:

o          Therapists sometimes create the very sensations that trigger panic (for example, fast heartbeat). A person may be asked to run up stairs or jump for a few minutes to raise their heart rate.

o          Under supervision, they then practice applying their new thinking skills and realize the sensations are not dangerous.