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Clinical overview

• Panic disorder is more than having panic attacks. The syndrome becomes panic disorder when the attacks are recurrent, seem to come out of the blue, and leave behind ongoing fear, avoidance, or behavior change that starts organizing the person's life around the next attack.
• Unexpected attacks: What makes this different from simple situational anxiety is that the attacks feel abrupt and are not always tied to the same obvious trigger.
• Aftermath matters: The aftermath is what makes the diagnosis. Patients often start scanning their body, avoiding places, or reorganizing routines out of fear of another attack.
• Medical rule-outs: Because the symptoms can look medical, it is important to think through cardiopulmonary, endocrine, vestibular, and substance-related explanations too.

Related Guides

• Panic Disorder DSM Criteria Guide
• Panic Disorder Scales and Assessment Tools
• Panic Disorder Treatments and Medications
• When to Seek Professional Help for Panic Disorder