Anxiety

You may have panic disorder with agoraphobia.

In panic disorder, you have regular panic attacks. Panic attacks can be very disturbing. They include sudden bursts of fear, perhaps accompanied by apprehension or a sense of doom. You may have physical symptoms, such as sweating, dizziness, a rapid heart rate, difficulty breathing, a choking feeling or stomach discomfort. You may shake or tremble, feel out of control, feel unreal or feel like you are dying or going crazy.

Panic disorder sometimes goes with agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is the fear of any place where it might be difficult to escape -- like being in a theater or a crowded mall, traveling on a bus or an airplane. People with agoraphobia avoid such situations because they fear having a panic attack.

Fortunately this disorder is very treatable. The symptoms are usually reduced or eliminated by a combination of psychotherapy and medication.

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Online Medical Reviewer: Faculty of Harvard Medical School Date Last Reviewed: 10/16/2006 Date Last Modified: 10/11/2006 Source: from Harvard Health Decision Guides, Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.

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