In fact, most people with agoraphobia are much more fearful of enclosed spaces, such as tunnels, small rooms, and elevators. Agoraphobia is defined in DSM-5 American Psychiatric Association, as anxiety about being in places or situations in which escape might be difficult or help might not be available in the event of having a panic attack or panic-like symptoms.
Most, but not all, people with panic disorder also have agoraphobia. In extreme cases, an individual with panic disorder and agoraphobia may be completely unable to leave the house.
More typically, people with agoraphobia experience some restrictions in what they are able to do, but they are able to leave the house, especially if they are accompanied by someone they know. Some of the situations that are often avoided by individuals with panic disorder and agoraphobia include:. A number of medications have been shown to be useful for treating panic disorder. These include antidepressant drugs as well as drugs that are traditionally used for treating anxiety.
Examples of medications that are often helpful for panic disorder include:. The type of psychological treatment that has been shown to be most useful for treating panic disorder is called cognitive behavior therapy CBT. CBT includes a number of useful strategies, including:. Generally medications and CBT work about equally well in the short term, although some people may respond better to one approach or the other. For many people, the combination of medication and CBT does not work any better than either approach alone, although some individuals respond best to combination treatment.
In the long term, CBT is probably more effective than medication for many individuals with panic disorder. Once treatment has stopped, individuals who have been treated with CBT are less likely to experience a return of their symptoms than are individuals who have been treated with medication.
Was this page useful? First Name. Print Feedback. Treatment and Evaluation: An Overview. Anxiety Treatment Program: By Diagnosis. Definitions and Useful Links. ATRC Bookstore. For Staff Only. Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia. What is a Panic Attack? The official list of 13 Panic Attack Symptoms include: racing or pounding heart sweating trembling or shaking shortness of breath feeling of choking chest pain or discomfort nausea or abdominal distress feeling dizzy, unsteady, or faint feeling unreal or detached paresthesias i.
The individual must experience a period lasting at least a month, in which the individual is either: Concerned or worried about having more panic attacks, or about the consequences of his or her attacks e.
Changes his or her behavior because of the attacks e. It must be established that the panic symptoms are not being caused by a medical condition e. It must be established that the panic attacks are not exclusively due to another psychological problem. For example, if the individual has an eating disorder and tends to have panic attacks only when she or he is worrying about food or weight, a diagnosis of panic disorder would not be given.
What is Agoraphobia? Some of the situations that are often avoided by individuals with panic disorder and agoraphobia include: Being more than a short distance from home Leaving home alone Shopping in a crowded supermarket Walking through a crowded shopping mall, away from the exits Riding a bus, train, or subway Flying on an airplane Sitting in a theater, away from the exit, or in the middle of a row Going to a concert Attending a sports event Walking alone in the neighborhood Standing in a long bank line Going to a party Sitting in a meeting Enclosed places e.
The precise nature of these differences is not completely understood, and studies tend to have inconsistent results. Neurotransmitters — A number of neurotransmitters i. The neurotransmitter for which the evidence is strongest is norepinephrine. For example, substances that increase norepinephrine in the brain e. Also, medications that act on the norepinephrine system have been found to block panic attacks. In addition to norepinephrine, other neurotransmitters that may contribute to panic disorder include serotonin and cholecystokinin.
It was often thought that Anxiety Disorders and panic attacks were a "women's problem. Although men are more hesitant to present for treatment, both women and men are affected by these Disorders. Although Anxiety Disorders have been on recently officially recognized, they have existed throughout the history of mankind.
Many great and influential people in history have reported experiencing panic attacks and Anxiety Disorders. The various treatments that they received is diverse and sometimes humorous. In many cases, the treatments offered were ineffective, and sometimes quite dangerous to the person. With the dawn of psychoanalysis and Freud, many people turned to the therapist's couch as a solution to their experience with an Anxiety Disorder.
With the advent of pharmaceuticals, drugs were prescribed heavily for people presenting with an Anxiety Disorder although it was not called an Anxiety Disorder at this time.
History of Anxiety Disorders, HealthyPlace. Medically reviewed by Harry Croft, MD. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Do you suspect that you are experiencing the symptoms of panic disorder? Finding out whether or not you have panic disorder begins with a diagnosis. The following describes how panic disorder is diagnosed. Only your doctor or a qualified specialist can diagnose you as having a mental health condition.
Professionals who treat panic disorder are trained to make an accurate diagnosis. Although the diagnosis of panic disorder is largely clinical, based on the doctor's interview, they may have you complete self-assessment tools or questionnaires that will ask you questions pertaining to your symptoms. This assessment will give your doctor or therapist an idea of the intensity and duration of your symptoms, along with providing other pertinent information for diagnostic purposes.
In the clinical interview, your doctor or therapist will ask more in-depth questions to make an accurate diagnosis. For instance, you may be asked questions regarding your medical history, current symptoms, and recent life changes. The entire diagnostic evaluation process is typically completed within one to two visits. Finding out more about you will assist your doctor or therapist in ruling out the possibility of other medical or mental health conditions. When determining your diagnosis, your doctor or therapist will decide if you meet the diagnostic criteria for panic disorder.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition DSM-5 , is a handbook that contains the diagnostic standards for all mental health conditions. Your doctor or therapist will reference the DSM-5 when determining your diagnoses. Get our printable guide to help you ask the right questions at your next doctor's appointment. According to the DSM-5, to receive a diagnosis of panic disorder, a person must be experiencing recurrent unexpected panic attacks.
These attacks typically occur out-of-the-blue and involve a combination of physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms. Panic attacks often reach a peak within 10 minutes before gradually subsiding. As outlined in the DSM-5, panic attacks are experienced through four or more of the following symptoms:. People with panic disorder are often at greater risk for developing an additional mental health disorder. Your doctor or therapist will be able to determine if you are experiencing any additional mental health conditions.
Aside from depression, panic disorder sufferers are also more likely to have a co-occurring anxiety disorder. Common related disorders include:. Given that these conditions share similar symptoms to panic disorder, it is possible you are actually experiencing one of these separate disorders.
Your doctor or therapist will be able to determine if you have any of these related conditions.
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