Understanding Panic Disorder and Panic Attacks

Have you ever been hit by a sudden, overwhelming wave of fear that came out of nowhere? Your heart starts pounding, you can’t catch your breath, and you feel a terrifying sense of dread, as if something horrible is about to happen. You might even feel like you’re dying or losing control. This intense experience is a panic attack. While many people might have one or two in their lifetime, having them repeatedly and living in fear of the next one could be a sign of panic disorder.

At Televero Health, we talk to patients who feel confused and frightened by these episodes. They often don’t understand why their body is reacting so strongly when there is no real danger. Understanding the difference between a panic attack and panic disorder is the key to getting the right help and stopping the cycle of fear.

What Is a Panic Attack?

A panic attack is an abrupt surge of intense fear or discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes. It’s a full-body alarm response

, the “fight-or-flight” system kicking into high gear for no apparent reason. During an attack, a person can experience a number of physical and mental symptoms. These often include four or more of the following:

Pounding heart, palpitations, or accelerated heart rate.
Sweating.
Trembling or shaking.
Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering.
Feelings of choking.
Chest pain or discomfort.
Nausea or abdominal distress.
Feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed, or faint.
Chills or heat sensations.
Numbness or tingling sensations (paresthesias).
Feelings of unreality (derealization) or being detached from oneself (depersonalization).
Fear of losing control or “going crazy.”
Fear of dying.

Because the physical symptoms are so intense, many people who have a panic attack for the first time believe they are having a heart attack and end up in the emergency room. After medical causes are ruled out, they learn that the episode was caused by anxiety.

When Does It Become Panic Disorder?

Having a single panic attack does not mean you have panic disorder. Panic disorder is diagnosed when you have recurrent, unexpected panic attacks, and at least one of the attacks has been followed by a month or more of one or both of the following:

Persistent worry about having another attack or its consequences. This is often called “fear of the fear.” You become preoccupied with the idea that another attack could happen at any time, which creates a constant state of background anxiety.
A significant, unhelpful change in your behavior related to the attacks. You start avoiding situations or places where you fear an attack might occur. This might mean you stop driving, going to crowded places like grocery stores, or even leaving your home. This avoidance is a hallmark of the disorder.

The key difference is the cycle. In panic disorder, it’s not just about the attacks themselves, but the fear of the attacks, which then makes them more likely to happen. This fear can significantly shrink a person’s world and interfere with their ability to live a normal life.

Panic disorder is a real illness, not a sign that you are weak or overly dramatic. It is highly treatable. Treatment, which often includes therapy and/or medication, focuses on two main goals: reducing the frequency and intensity of the panic attacks, and, just as importantly, reducing the fear and avoidance that come with them. You can learn to understand the signals your body is sending, ride out the wave of a panic attack without letting it overwhelm you, and reclaim the parts of your life that fear has taken away.

Key Takeaways

A panic attack is a sudden, intense episode of fear accompanied by strong physical symptoms like a racing heart and shortness of breath.
Panic disorder is diagnosed when you have recurring, unexpected attacks and live in persistent fear of having another one.
A key feature of panic disorder is changing your behavior to avoid situations where you fear an attack might happen.
Panic disorder is a highly treatable condition; therapy and medication can help you break the cycle of fear and avoidance.

Ready to take the first step? We can help. Get started wi th Televero Health today.