Postpartum Anxiety Disorders - What Is Panic Disorder

Written by Linda Sebastian

What Is Panic Disorder?

Panic disorder, a more extreme form of anxiety, is marked by intense episodes of anxiety, usually accompanied by a fear of impending death. These episodes are called panic attacks. Once a person has a panic attack, he or she often has an overwhelming fear of future attacks and avoids many situations as a strategy to prevent them. Panic attacks are a painful and debilitating illness.

Ten days after I had my son, I had my first experience of thinking I was going to die. I was giving him a bath. Suddenly my heart started pounding. I became dizzy and short of breath. I was so afraid I would pass out that I got on the floor and crawled with the baby into the bedroom. I called my husband, and he came home.

I thought I was having a heart attack, so we went to the emergency room. I was crying and worrying about not seeing my baby grow up. They ran tests and told me it was anxiety. I didn't believe them. I called my own doctor, and he ran some more tests.

When I kept having panic attacks,, I started reading about panic. I went to a therapist who helped me manage my symptoms and my thinking. Now I can head panic off most of the time. I still can remember how scared I was. It is hard to believe that it is anxiety and that I am not dying.

Twenty-eight-year-old Melissa's description of her panic attack is very typical of first-time sufferers. Panic attacks are terrifying and are often mistaken for heart attacks or strokes.

Many people have experienced moments of panic in frightening situations such as accidents, but this is a normal response to a situation outside the range of typical human experience. Panic attacks occur even when the situation does not warrant the body responding in such a way.

Panic Attack Criteria

A panic attack is a discrete period of intense fear or discomfort, in which four or more of the following symptoms develop abruptly and reach a peak within ten minutes:

• palpitations (sensation of pounding heart) or faster heart rate
• sweating
• trembling or shaking
• shortness of breath or smothering sensations
• feeling of choking
• chest pain or discomfort
• nausea or abdominal distress
• feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed or faint
• a sensation that things are not real (derealization or a sensation of being detached from oneself)
• fear of losing control or going crazy
• fear of dying
• numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
• feeling chilled or having hot flashes

Often the panic attack is associated with a certain place or event. Avoiding situations that may precipitate a panic attack becomes a way of life that usually becomes more and more restrictive. For example, let's say you have a panic attack as you're driving and approach a red light. You begin to experience shortness of breath. Heart-pounding thoughts like, "What if I pass out?" or "What if I crash?" begin to race through your head. In the future, you will probably associate red lights with a panicky feeling. Soon you will begin to avoid stoplights and will take long detours to reach your destination. These avoidance strategies create major problems in the life of a person with panic disorder. All types of situations are seen as dangers to be avoided. Soon the world becomes smaller and smaller. Eventually, the person may not be able to leave the house, go into a public building, drive a car, or be around strangers. This creates a fear called agoraphobia, which often accompanies panic episodes.

Agoraphobia, translated literally is "fear of the marketplace." The condition has been known since the time of the ancient Greeks. Individuals with agoraphobia are usually terrified of leaving their homes alone. They may fear such things as being in public or among crowds, standing in a line, being on a bridge, or traveling in a bus or car. This avoidance of public places severely restricts the lives of those with this disorder. Often they will become depressed because they are so isolated. This sense of being alone in a terrifying world and unable to seek help is a very frightening experience.