Panic disorder
Definition
A panic disorder is a psychological state characterized by acute (rapid onset) feelings, which engulf a person with a deep sense of destruction, death, and imminent doom. The main feature of panic disorder (PD) is a history of previous panic attacks (PA). The PA symptoms are pronounced and the affected person will gasp for air, have increased breathing (hyperventilate), feel dizzy (light headed), and develop a loss of sensation (parasthesia). Most patients will run outside and symptoms like increased breathing will slow and the PA symptoms will subside. Most PA last three to ten minutes. It is rare for PA to extend in duration over 30 minutes.
Description
The essential characteristics of panic disorder consist of specific and common criteria. The affected person usually has...
[The entire page is 2528 words long]
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