Panic Disorder

Symptoms and Types of Panic Attacks

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM- IV), a panic attack is a period of intense fear or discomfort in the absence of a real danger. A panic attack has an abrupt onset, and it usually lasts for 10 to 15 minutes. However, in rare cases it can last for several hours. Those that suffer from panic attacks describe the experience as an intense fear of dying, the sensation of going crazy or losing control over emotions and behavior, or suffering from a heart attack or stroke. During a panic attack, the fear is out of proportion for the situation, which is usually not threatening.

Some of the most common somatic symptoms include:
1. Palpitations.
2. Sweating, chills or hot flashes.
3. Trembling or shaking.
4. Sensation of shortness of breath.
5. Sensation of choking.
6. Chest pain/discomfort.
7. Nausea or abdominal discomfort.
8. Dizziness or lightheadedness.
9. Tingling sensations.

Panic attacks can be classified in three major categories according to the existent relationship between the attack onset and the presence or absence of situational triggers with internal or external clues.

There are three distinctive panic attack types which include:

1. Unexpected panic attack. This type of panic attack cannot be associated with an internal or external trigger.

2. Situationally bound panic attack. This type of panic attack occurs almost invariably after the exposure to or in anticipation of a situational cue or trigger.

3. Situationally predisposed panic attack. This type of panic attack is triggered by a situational cue, but it is not invariably associated with the trigger or occurs immediately after the exposure to a trigger.

The most common type of panic attacks of panic disorder are situationally bound and situationally predisposed panic attacks, numbers 2 and 3 above. However, the presence of panic attacks is not always indicative of a panic disorder. Panic attacks can occur in the context of any anxiety disorder or other mental disorders (such as mood disorders or substance-abuse disorders, social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder) or in healthy individuals (up to 10 percent of healthy people experience an insolated panic attack per year).

Article by Alina Morrow
MS Psychology
Medical Writer
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