Thought it was a heart attack but couldn't find the cause? This torturous disease turns out to be around us!

Expert of this article: Zhao Wei, MD, associate chief physician, Tianjin University Teda Hospital

Accelerated heartbeat, shortness of breath, chest pain, numbness in hands... thought it was a heart attack, but couldn't find the cause?

You may be suffering from a panic disorder!

Panic disorder? How come you haven't heard of it? It's actually quite common.

Such a case was mentioned in the popular TV series "Female Psychologist" some time ago.

Source: "Female Psychologist"

When the disease occurs: sweating and shaking, then chest tightness, shortness of breath, nausea. Lying on the bed, I feel like I am about to die, and my eyes are all white, as if my soul is leaving my body.

Recently, Jay Chou shared a photo of himself receiving an IV drip, captioning: "I don't know if it's panic disorder or my heart causing abnormal breathing that caused the numbness in my hands."

Source: Internet

What exactly is panic disorder? How can you tell if you have it?

What is panic disorder?

Panic attacks and panic disorders are not the same.

Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder, and panic attacks are the core symptom of panic disorder.

But panic attacks can also be seen in other anxiety disorders, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental illnesses. Certain physical diseases can also cause panic attacks, such as heart disease and otolithiasis.

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

Panic disorder is a recurring experience of sudden, intense fear without real danger or apparent cause.

The clinical manifestations of panic disorder include panic attacks, anticipatory anxiety and avoidance behavior.

The clinical symptoms of panic attacks vary:

Without any warning, you may suddenly feel extreme fear, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, a feeling of suffocation, chest pain and shortness of breath, dizziness, numbness of hands and feet, sweating, trembling, abdominal discomfort, a sense of unreality, etc.

Anticipatory anxiety and avoidance behaviors are manifested as:

Repeatedly worrying about another panic attack and feeling afraid, seeking help and company from others, or avoiding places where you think a panic attack might occur, such as not wanting to go to crowded places.

When panic disorder occurs, the patient suddenly feels that he has lost control, is going crazy, or even is dying. Many people think it is a heart attack and call 120 to go to the chest pain emergency center.

Epidemiological data from Europe and the United States show that the lifetime prevalence of panic disorder is 4.7% to 15% and the annual prevalence is 2.7% to 7.3%. There is still a lack of relevant research data in my country.

What are the dangers of panic disorder?

Although panic disorder itself is not life-threatening, it can be frightening and have a significant impact on quality of life.

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

Some patients need others to accompany them all year round and dare not go out. Some patients have suicidal and self-harming behaviors due to the sense of unreality during the attack. Less than 20% of panic disorder patients have serious functional impairment.

What are the triggers of panic disorder?

Panic disorder results from a combination of environmental, biological, and psychological factors.

Women are twice as likely as men to develop panic disorder. Panic disorder usually develops in late adolescence or early adulthood, between the ages of 18 and 35.

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

Having a close family member with panic disorder is also a risk factor for the disease.

Traumatic events in childhood (such as domestic and school violence, sexual abuse), major setbacks or negative events in life, including the death of a loved one, divorce or unemployment, can also increase the risk of disease.

How to diagnose panic disorder?

Fear and anxiety are normal responses to certain situations and stressful events. Many people only have one or two panic attacks in their lives. Once the stressful event is resolved, the panic attack goes away.

If you have recurring, sudden panic attacks and a prolonged fear of another attack (more than a month), you may have panic disorder.

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

Other potential causes of panic attacks need to be ruled out, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, or separation anxiety.

Physical diseases such as hyperthyroidism and heart valve prolapse can also cause sudden symptoms such as palpitations, chest pain, dizziness, and a sense of impending death and loss of control.

How to relieve and treat panic disorder?

Treatment for panic disorder mainly involves psychotherapy and medication (antidepressants or antianxiety drugs).

Psychotherapy

Including cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, psychodynamic therapy, etc.

Cognitive behavioral therapy can help panic sufferers learn new ways of thinking and responding to triggers that bring on their anxiety attacks.

Exposure therapy involves gradually exposing patients to situations that can trigger panic attacks while learning new relaxation strategies.

Drug treatment

Antidepressants, such as paroxetine, fluoxetine, citalopram, sertraline, etc.;

Anti-anxiety medications, such as lorazepam, clonazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, etc.

These medications can reduce the frequency and severity of acute panic attacks.

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

In addition, good living habits and relaxation training are also important.

Regular exercise not only relieves stress, anxiety, and tension, but it can also reduce the frequency of panic attacks.

Poor sleep can lead to more severe panic attack symptoms. Maintain good sleep hygiene habits, do not stay up late, and go to bed and get up on time.

Avoid alcohol.

Deep breathing, mindfulness, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, and yoga can all help relieve anxiety.

The cover of this article and the pictures with watermarks in the text are from the copyright library and are not authorized for reproduction