Panic Disorder:

-often occurs along with other serious conditions, such as depression, alcoholism or
drug abuse
-strikes without reason or warning

Symptoms of a panic attack-- often last about 10 minutes
Difficulty breathing.
Pounding heart or chest pain
Intense feeling of dread.
Sensation of choking or smothering.
Dizziness or feeling faint.
Trembling or shaking.
Sweating
Nausea or stomachache.
Tingling or numbness in the fingers and toes.
Chills or hot flashes.
A fear that you are losing control or are about to die.

Causes:
-Family History
-Abnormalities
-Substance Abuse
-Major Life Stress

-Panic disorder affects about 2.4 million adult Americans
-Panic disorder most often begins during late adolescence and early adulthood
-twice as common in women as in men

Diagnosis of It:
-the doctor will begin an evaluation by performing a complete medical history and
physical exam
-no lab tests to specifically diagnose panic disorder
-the doctor may use various tests to look for physical illness as the cause of symptoms

http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/mental-health-panic-disorder






The Mindfulness Approach:
Therapeutic Techniques That Work
by Peter Strong, Ph.D

-experience is visceral
-it is a full-blown fight or flight type reaction
-not just in the mind- integrated reaction involving the mind and the body
-in the end-what happens in the mind triggers the emotional + physiological
processes--> produce a full-blown panic attack
-sufferers turn to different sources of treatment
-counseling = talk therapy
-others prefer direct therapy- CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) or Mindfulness Therapy
-attempts to change the mechanism that makes the emotional reaction that then
triggers the bodily reactions
-core of panic disorders you will inevitably find some form of reactive thinking that triggers the
panic attacks
-CBT aims to change the negative thinking + beliefs in order to diffuse attacks
-Mindfulness Therapy approach
-problem is not simply with the content of the thoughts or beliefs or memories
-problem is w/ the emotional energy accompanied into these particular thought
forms
-it gives the power to these thoughts, traumatic memories, or beliefs
-ex. people have same thought but different reaction
-the emphasis is on finding ways to change this emotional energy, allowing it to discharge and
resolve itself
-all that remains is an empty thought
-In this type of therapy, learn to hold the emotion in their conscious awareness without getting
lost in the story or becoming reactive to the emotion with hatred, resistance or avoidance
-not let the emotion consume you, but observe the emotion as an object = the Primary
Relationship in Mindfulness Therapy
-negative thoughts and beliefs begin to lose intensity and lose their power over you.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-mindfulness-approach/201103/panic-attacks-the-
mindfulness-therapy-approach-anxiety



DSM On Panic Disorder:

DSM Criteria to a Panic Disorder
A discrete period of intense fear or discomfort, in which four (or
more) of the following symptoms developed abruptly and reached
a peak within 10 min
1. Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate
2. Sweating
3. Trembling or shaking
4. Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
5. Feeling of choking
6. Chest pain or discomfort
7. Nausea or abdominal distress
8. Feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint
9. Derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being
detached from oneself)
10. Fear of losing control or going crazy
11. Fear of dying
12. Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations)
13. Chills or hot flushes

- PAs are defined as involving four or more of the list of 13 symptoms
- PAs involving fewer than four symptoms are designated as limited symptom PAs
- Such recall is likely to be biased, especially for PAs that occurred a long time ago, which is the
case for certain individuals with PD whose avoidance strategies effectively minimize PAs


http://www.dsm5.org/Research/Documents/Craske_PD%20Review.pdf