National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Panic Disorder is the National Institute of Mental Health
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National Institutes of Health
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder. It causes panic attacks, which are sudden feelings of terror when there is no real danger. You may feel as if you are losing control. You may also have physical symptoms, such as
- Fast heartbeat
- Chest or stomach pain
- Breathing difficulty
- Weakness or dizziness
- Sweating
- Feeling hot or a cold chill
- Tingly or numb hands
Panic attacks can happen anytime, anywhere, and without warning. You may live in fear of another attack and may avoid places where you have had an attack. For some people, fear takes over their lives and they cannot leave their homes.
Panic disorder is more common in women than men. It usually starts when people are young adults. Sometimes it starts when a person is under a lot of stress. Most people get better with treatment. Therapy can show you how to recognize and change your thinking patterns before they lead to panic. Medicines can also help.
NIH: National Institute of Mental Health
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Start Here
- JAMA Patient Page: Panic Disorder(American Medical Association)
- Panic Disorder(American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Also available in Spanish
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Panic Disorder: When Fear Overwhelms
(National Institute of Mental Health)
- Also available in Spanish
The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
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Learn More
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Multimedia & Cool Tools
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The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
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For You
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Overviews
- Answers to Your Questions about Panic Disorder(American Psychological Association)
- Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Panic Disorder(American Psychiatric Association)
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Panic Disorder(National Institute of Mental Health)
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Diagnosis/Symptoms
- Panic Attack Symptoms(Anxiety Disorders Association of America)
- Screening for Panic Disorder(Anxiety Disorders Association of America)
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Treatment
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Mental Health Medications(National Institute of Mental Health)
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Psychotherapies(National Institute of Mental Health)
- Treatment for Anxiety Disorders(Anxiety Disorders Association of America)
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Mental Health Medications
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Related Issues
- Panic Attack or Heart Attack?(Women's Heart Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
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Health Check Tools
- Anxiety(DSHI Systems)
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Panic Disorder(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Panic Disorder
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Directories
- Find a Therapist(Anxiety Disorders Association of America)
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Finding Help for Mental Illnesses(National Institute of Mental Health)
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Organizations
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MedlinePlus Magazine
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Children
- Panic Disorder(American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Panic Disorder in Children and Adolescents(American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
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Women
- Panic Disorder and Women(Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
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Patient Handouts
- Panic disorder
- Also available in Spanish
- Panic disorder with agoraphobia
- Also available in Spanish
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You may also be interested in these related encyclopedia pages:
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
Panic Disorder - Multiple Languages
