Mental Health: Panic Attacks
from Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Screening and diagnosis
Your doctor will ask you to describe your signs and symptoms, how often they occur and in what situations they occur. You'll probably undergo a complete physical exam so that your doctor can determine whether health conditions other than panic attacks are the cause of your symptoms. These other health conditions might include heart disease or an overactive thyroid. If you have no underlying health problems, your doctor may diagnose panic disorder based on your signs and symptoms and their frequency.

Complications
Panic disorder can become debilitating and destructive. Fear of recurrent attacks can lead you to adopt avoidance behavior — avoiding what most people consider to be normal situations, such as going to the mall or leaving the house alone. You can develop a fear of fear.

In children, panic attacks can interfere with normal development, disrupting your child's social life and schoolwork. Children and teenagers, for example, may not go to school or may not even leave the house in order to avoid situations in which they fear a panic attack.

Having panic disorder also increases your risk of depression, suicide, and abuse of alcohol and other drugs.

Next: Treatment

©By Mayo Clinic Staff
April 17, 2006
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