Characterised by episodes of extreme fear and physiological anxiety (rapid heart beat, sweaty palms, trouble breathing, blurred vision, etc) that often come on ‘out of the blue’, which triggers fears of impending doom, death or medical catastrophe (heart attack or stroke). Individuals with panic disorder often present to emergency departments fearing they are having a heart attack and although medical tests confirm they are not physically unwell, the fear of having recurrent panic attacks often becomes disabling. In response to their experience of panic attacks, some individuals with panic disorder develop a condition known as Agoraphobia, in which they severely limit their outings or must have someone accompany them due to their fear of having a panic attack whilst out.
At Vital Mind Psychology, we have the skills, experience and expertise to accurately assess and treat panic disorder.
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