Many of us have heard about panic disorder but most of us don’t really understand what it actually entails. Nor do most of us have any idea of how debilitating this disorder is for those who suffer from it. In fact, many of us use the term panic attack quite freely to describe our simple everyday experiences with feeling fear of one particular situation or another.

However, for those who actually do suffer from full blown panic disorder, the experience is very frightening. So frightening that they do believe they are going to die at any moment once an attack comes over them.

An Example of Panic Disorder

Take for instance Mary, a typical working mom, on her way home from work. She makes a quick stop at the local grocery store to pick up something for dinner. She is buzzing around quickly picking out the items on her list when all of a sudden, her heart starts racing, she feels dizzy, nauseous and believes she is going to die any moment. In total panic about her situation, she calls her husband to come and take her to a hospital as quickly as possible.

The doctor runs dozens of tests but finds nothing physically wrong and informs Mary and her husband that she suffered a panic attack. Mary is in total disbelief and is sure that her physician has missed something. Such severe feelings must be caused by some malfunction in her body. It couldn’t possibly be brought on by anxiety or stress. She has never had psychological problems in the past and she knows she’s not crazy.

Once at home this begins to worry Mary constantly. She worries it will happen again and the next time she will most surely die since the doctors have missed the true cause of her problem. And sure enough a few days later as she is getting ready to leave work, it happens again. This time is worse than the last and now she is totally convinced she is dying of some horrible disease.

A Search for Answers to Panic Attack Symptoms

Once again, she seeks medical attention but from a different doctor this time since the last one wasn’t capable of finding her problem. And much to her surprise, she receives the exact same diagnosis. Now Mary is furious and begins checking out her symptoms online for herself. If the doctors won’t help, she is going to have to find the answer on her own before she dies from the next attack.

By now, her husband is getting quite worried about her and just wants his old wife back. The one who juggled her job, the kids, their home, both of their elderly parents and everything else necessary to keep their lives functioning perfectly.

This is often just how panic disorder gets started. The anxiety triggers an attack and then the fear of the attacks build, triggering additional attacks of anxiety until it sets the cycle of panic disorder in motion. However, treatment is available and quite effective. And the sooner treatment is obtained, the easier it is to break the cycle and return to a more normal lifestyle.