Dr. Ron Rice
Licensed Psychologist
Over 25 years of experience
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Dr. Ron Rice Real Problems |
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Panic Disorder Although there are a number of problems involving anxiety and fear, there appears none greater than or more prevalent than Panic Disorder. A Panic Attack generally lasts less than 10 minutes and is characterized by severe and often spontaneous anxiety and fear. During an attack, people often feel like they are "going crazy", "going to die", or "are going to loose control". During a Panic Attack there are generally three different type of symptoms. Physical Symptoms
Cognitive (Thought) Symptoms
Behavioral Symptoms
Many anxiety disorders can lead to panic attacks, including: Social Phobia, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Phobias and several other conditions. However many people have these conditions without panic attacks. Many people with panic attacks are suffering from Panic Disorder. Panic Disorder is where people experience panic attacks "out of the blue" often with no external trigger. It is the unexpected nature of these attacks that make them so frightening. They often live in almost constant anticipation (conscious or unconscious) of further attacks. Spontaneous panic attacks have many causes. Often a person has a genetically predisposition toward having panic attacks. In this situation, they may have an imbalance in brain chemistry where neurotransmitters deliver faulty signals to the heart, lungs, etc. To Clarify consider the following: If an individual was held up on the street and someone put a gun up to your head while stating, "give me your money or I will kill you", your body would immediate go into a "fight or flight" response and you would have many of the symptoms described above. The situational stressor would cause an alarm reaction in your central nervous system and you would have severe anxiety and fear. However, when a person is just carrying on during a normal day and has no identifiable stressor, it becomes particularly terrifying. In addition to the situation described above with respect to "faulty brain chemistry", many things can trigger the first panic attack, such as a health problem or a stressful situation. However after a person has had one panic attack they remain apprehensive about having further attacks. Their fear of having further attacks is often what actually triggers attacks, becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. For this reason Panic Disorder is often described a "fear of fear". In other words it is fear of having an attack which is the main anxiety problem, unlike phobias which involve a fear of a specific object or situation. Some people with Panic Disorder develop Agoraphobia, which means that they become anxious about going out into situations such as crowded, open or public places, for fear that they might experience panic symptoms there. The anticipation of having a panic attack is often attached to situations where an individual has had a previous panic attack. For example, if a person had their first attack while in the super market, they will often stay away from going to a super market in anticipation that they will have another panic attack. If a person’s first attack is when they were driving, they will anticipate having another panic attack if they drive. They will stay away from driving. It is interesting that the more a person stays away (avoidance) a situation where they anticipate a panic attack, the greater their fear will become. Treatment Facts:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – This involves teaching individuals how to think differently and behave differently. It also involves systematic desensitization, exposure therapy, relaxation, meditation, and changes in diet, imagery and learning how to prevent attacks (control of response to stress). In some unique situations, certain medications can block a spontaneous panic attack. The best news of all is that Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia are totally treatable. In extreme situations where an individual is "house bound" due to their fear of having a panic attack wherever they go, treatment can still be effective. Dr. Ron Rice over the last twenty five years has made "house calls" to help people recover from this most terrifying condition. Remember: Panic Disorder and/or Agoraphobia are not mental disorders. Stop the vicious circle! You have what it takes to rid yourself of a problem that limits your life in so many situations. Commit yourself to being proactive. Make the call today! I would be more than happy to discuss your particular situation on the phone. Take charge of your life. You can succeed! |
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Real Problems Call or email Dr. Ron Rice to make an appointment, to ask Ron Rice, PHD • Licensed Psychologist • (248) 626-2056 |
