Panic disorder and agoraphobia
Feeling anxious on certain occasions is perfectly normal. However, if you experience panic attacks repeatedly and unpredictably, you may be suffering from panic disorder or agoraphobia. We'll explain what that means.
To remember
👉 A panic attack (or panic disorder) is an intense feeling of terror, with very powerful physical symptoms.
👉 Agoraphobia is an irrational fear of public places from which one believes they cannot escape.
What is panic disorder?
In a panic attack, you have a feeling of terror for a few minutes, accompanied by intense physical symptoms, such as racing heart and difficulty breathing.
The frequency and intensity of attacks vary from one person to the next but they always have a huge impact on the life of a person with this disorder. People with panic disorder start worrying about the next attack, to the point where it can affect their normal functioning in all areas of life.
Agoraphobia, the fear of public spaces
Thus, panic disorder is sometimes accompanied by a specific phobia: agoraphobia. This fear of public spaces is mainly due to the fact that the person is scared of having an attack or not being able to get out of the situation easily. As a result, they’ll avoid shopping malls, public transit, concerts, etc. They can even find it hard to go to the dépanneur.
Symptoms of panic disorders
They start suddenly and often unpredictably. You might feel:
heart palpitations (racing heart)
excessive sweating
hot flashes
a tight feeling in your chest
a sense that you’re suffocating
trembling
a feeling of loss of self-control (you feel like you’ve lost your head) etc.
You might even think you’re dying.
