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National Institute of Mental Health

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National Institute of Mental Health

Panic Disorder

WHAT IS PANIC DISORDER?

Panic disorder is a serious health problem in this country. At least 1.6 percent of adult Americans, or 3 million people, will have panic disorder at some time in their lives. The disorder is strikingly different from other types of anxiety in that panic attacks are so sudden, appear to be unprovoked, and are often disabling.

Once someone has had a panic attack—for example while driving, shopping in a crowded store, or riding in an elevator—he or she may develop irrational fears, called phobias, about these situations and begin to avoid them. Eventually, the pattern of avoidance and level of anxiety about another attack may reach the point where the individual with panic disorder may be unable to drive or even step out of the house. At this stage, the person is said to have panic disorder with agoraphobia. Thus panic disorder can have as serious an impact on a person's daily life as other major illnesses—unless the individual receives effective treatment.

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