symptoms, causes, and treatment of panic attacks
Symptoms of panic attacks, possible causes, and ways that research has expanded understanding and treatment options for this disorder.
© Open University (A Britannica Publishing Partner)
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HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology (A Britannica Publishing Partner)A discussion of psychiatric (mental) disorders and the stigmas often attached to them.
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© American Chemical Society (A Britannica Publishing Partner)How the popular anti-anxiety drug Xanax works.
Transcript
SPEAKER 1: I just thought I was going mad.
SPEAKER 2: Yes definitely.
SPEAKER 3: Research suggests about 1 in 10 of us will experience a panic attack in our lifetime, and between 1 in 50 and 1 in 20 will go on to experience panic disorder, reoccurring panic attacks that really impact people's ability to live their lives.
ROGER BAKER: Your heart may double in speed, racing, your breathing increases, your stomach turns over, your legs are like jelly. You might feel hot and cold. You may be sweating a lot, skin going white. Your mouth may go dry, hair stand on and.
SPEAKER 3: The physical experience of a panic attack is so powerful and frightening. People often feel sure they are dying or that they are going crazy.
SPEAKER 1: I felt I wasn't coping with stuff, everyday stuff that other people were seemingly coping with. And I just felt a failure.
NARRATOR: People with panic disorder often avoid places or situations that might trigger a panic attack. As a result, their lives can get smaller. But research has led to increased understanding of panic attacks, and to treatment and forms of self-help that can really make a difference.
SPEAKER 4: Get more from the Open University check out the links on screen now.
SPEAKER 2: Yes definitely.
SPEAKER 3: Research suggests about 1 in 10 of us will experience a panic attack in our lifetime, and between 1 in 50 and 1 in 20 will go on to experience panic disorder, reoccurring panic attacks that really impact people's ability to live their lives.
ROGER BAKER: Your heart may double in speed, racing, your breathing increases, your stomach turns over, your legs are like jelly. You might feel hot and cold. You may be sweating a lot, skin going white. Your mouth may go dry, hair stand on and.
SPEAKER 3: The physical experience of a panic attack is so powerful and frightening. People often feel sure they are dying or that they are going crazy.
SPEAKER 1: I felt I wasn't coping with stuff, everyday stuff that other people were seemingly coping with. And I just felt a failure.
NARRATOR: People with panic disorder often avoid places or situations that might trigger a panic attack. As a result, their lives can get smaller. But research has led to increased understanding of panic attacks, and to treatment and forms of self-help that can really make a difference.
SPEAKER 4: Get more from the Open University check out the links on screen now.