Panic Disorder

Panic disorder involves panic attacks, which are rushes of intense fear, along with symptoms such as a racing heart, shortness of breath, stomach upset, sweating, and trembling. Initially these attacks appear to come from “out of the blue,” but often they become linked with particular places or situations. If the person starts to fear and/or avoid situations because they might trigger a panic attack, the person is said to have panic disorder with agoraphobia (literally, agoraphobia means “fear of the marketplace”). Panic disorder with or without agoraphobia often is treated successfully using cognitive-behavioral therapy.