What is panic disorder

  Panic disorder is a neurological disorder with intermittent, recurrent panic attacks. The symptoms of panic disorder are primarily primary and not secondary to some illness, such as epilepsy or heart attack. Nor is it secondary to a sudden adverse event. Panic secondary to a sudden adverse event is an acute anxiety reaction, a stress response. It is to be distinguished from panic disorder.  The main clinical features of panic disorder: (1) No obvious trigger, no specific environment, and unpredictable attacks.  (2) No other symptoms during the interictal period, the mind, body and social life and work are basically normal.  (3) Emotional expression of intense fear, anxiety, and a sense of near death during the attack. There are many physical autonomic symptoms, such as dizziness, panic, hyperventilation, chest tightness, choking sensation, vertigo, tremor, numbness of hands and feet, hand tremor, sweating, facial flushing or pallor, gastrointestinal discomfort, gait floating sensation, throat blocking choking sensation, etc. Experiences such as depersonalization and dissolution of reality may also be present. Patients experience these feelings secondary to thoughts such as fear of falling, fear of fatal consequences, and fear of mental loss and insanity. The secondary negative thoughts can exacerbate the panic disorder attack and push the illness to its peak.  (4) Sudden seizures that peak rapidly and resolve on their own in about 10 minutes. Consciousness is clear throughout the attack and can be recalled afterwards. Some patients choose to call for emergency care and gradually return to normal when they get to the hospital and are not treated specifically. Emergency physicians may misdiagnose it as “cardiac neurosis”.  (5) When a panic attack occurs, the patient is very uncomfortable and fearful, and cannot get rid of it. Therefore, most people have psychological anxiety (anticipatory anxiety) for fear of having another attack. Therefore, during the interictal period, most patients actively avoid some activities for fear of not receiving first aid during an attack, such as not daring to go out alone, not daring to go to crowded places, not daring to travel by car, not daring to close the door of the house when they are alone at home, or asking others to accompany them when they go out (at this time accompanied by square phobia). Patients with long-term recurrent panic attacks can also be secondary to depressive symptoms and can have negative thought tendencies.  (6) Panic disorder has at least several episodes in a month.