100 Questions & Answers About Panic Disorder

Title......Page 2
Copyright......Page 3
Contents......Page 4
Foreword......Page 6
Introduction......Page 8
Part one: The basics......Page 10
1. What is a panic attack?......Page 11
2. Why do I feel like running away when I have a panic attack?......Page 13
3. I’ve always been an anxious person. How do these panic attacks differ from my usual anxiety?......Page 14
4. What is derealization?......Page 16
5. What is depersonalization?......Page 17
6. What causes panic attacks?......Page 18
7. Can I die from panic attacks?......Page 20
8. Why does my heart race or pound during a panic attack?......Page 21
9. Can I faint from a panic attack?......Page 22
10. Why do I blush when I have a panic attack?......Page 23
11. I found that if I’m up on a high mountain or in an area of low oxygen, I could have a panic attack. Why?......Page 24
12. I was molested as a child. Is this the reason I have panic attacks now as an adult?......Page 25
13. What is agoraphobia?......Page 26
14. Should I avoid having children if I have panic attacks?......Page 27
Part two: Risks and causes......Page 30
15. Why do I get panic attacks after I drink coffee?......Page 31
16. If I don’t get enough sleep (less than 6 hours), I find I can have a panic attack. Why?......Page 32
17. Should I avoid alcohol if I have panic disorder?......Page 33
18. I heard that women get panic attacks more frequently than men. Is that true?......Page 34
19. Do African American, Caucasian, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, or any other ethnic groups have panic attacks more frequently than others?......Page 35
20. Is a person’s age a factor?......Page 36
22. I heard that eating chocolate or a lot of sugar can cause panic attacks. Is this true?......Page 37
23. I have mitral valve prolapse. Did that cause my panic attacks?......Page 38
24. Once I moved out of the city and into the country I found that my panic attacks stopped. Does relocation make a difference?......Page 39
25. Can psychotherapy stop panic attacks?......Page 40
Part three: Diagnosis......Page 44
26. Are panic attacks related to other illnesses?......Page 45
27. Are panic attacks related to depression?......Page 46
28. Is it possible to have manic depression and panic disorder?......Page 47
29. Is there any time of day when panic attacks occur more frequently?......Page 48
30. Every time I have to speak in public, I have a panic attack. Does this mean I have panic disorder or social phobia?......Page 50
31. How is my panic attack different from generalized anxiety disorder, which I also have?......Page 51
32. If my panic attack is triggered by fear of heights, is it a panic attack?......Page 52
33. After September 11, 2001 I started to have panic attacks on a daily basis. How do I know if I have posttraumatic stress disorder or panic disorder?......Page 53
34. When my husband was taken to the emergency room after having a panic attack (we mistakenly thought it was a heart attack), he was found to have a fast heart rate and high BP. Yet, the doctors ignored that and told him he only hadpanic disorder. Should we be concerned?......Page 54
35. After getting panic attacks I became discouraged and ashamed of myself. Is this common?......Page 55
Part four: Prevention and treatment......Page 58
36. What kind of doctor treats panic attacks?......Page 59
37. I heard it wasn’t a good idea to take Valium® or Xanax® to deal with panic attacks. What are these drugs?......Page 60
38. What medicines should be taken to stop panic attacks?......Page 61
39. When I started to take 25 mg of Zoloft® each day for my panic attacks, I became nauseous and had a bad headache. Does this mean I can’t use this medicine?......Page 63
41. What is behavioral therapy, and how does it work?......Page 65
43. Once I’m relieved of panic attacks, can they ever return?......Page 67
44. I heard that if I took vitamin B supplements I would be able to rid myself of panic attacks. Is that true?......Page 68
45. I once had a panic attack during sex. In the back of my mind, I fear having another attack whenever I have sex. How can I relieve this fear?......Page 69
Part five: Surviving......Page 72
46. I was told not to drink once I started my medicine (Zoloft®) for panic disorder. However, I found if I drank even a small glass of whiskey each night (I took Zoloft® in the am), I felt better and the one panic attack per week that I was left with cleared up. How can that be?......Page 73
47. How can I get my spouse to understand the problem?......Page 74
48. I am becoming scared of going outside because I am afraid of having a panic attack in public. What can I do?......Page 75
49. Will I pass this condition on to my children?......Page 76
50. Are there any problems with panic attacks during pregnancy?......Page 77
51. Will my panic attacks last for the rest of my life?......Page 78
53. My 16-year-old daughter haspanic attacks. Does this mean I should discourage her from participation in sports or cheerleading?......Page 79
54. What kinds of therapies are good for panic attack patients?......Page 80
55. I feel like I’m having a convulsion when I have a panic attack. Are they related?......Page 83
56. I have panic attacks while driving. Do you have any suggestions on how to help myself?......Page 84
57. The first time I had a panic attack, I was smoking marijuana. Now I don’t smoke it anymore. Do you think my panic attacks could be relieved if I continue not to use it?......Page 85
58. The worst panic attack I ever had was while flying. Now I worry every time I step onto a plane. What can I do?......Page 86
59. My sister has schizophrenia and panic attacks. Is that possible?......Page 87
60. My sister claimed that it was panic disorder that made her keep vomiting, but later we learned that she had bulimia. Can you explain this?......Page 88
61. While taking Celexa® for my panic disorder, I found I had a decreased libido and decreased sensation during sex. What can I do about my decreased sexual appetite?......Page 89
62. After I started having panic attacks, I found that I became very dependent on my mother. I feel ashamed of myself. How can I help myself to become more independent?......Page 90
63. My panic attacks started after my father died. Is there any correlation?......Page 92
65. When I was withdrawing from Klonopin®, I started having panic attacks. As a result I decided to stay on for another few months. How can I get off this drug?......Page 93
66. Is it better to take Xanax® or Klonopin® for panic disorder?......Page 94
67. I always thought that I had panic disorder because I was hiding my homosexuality. Could this have anything to do with it?......Page 95
68. Wherever I go into a social situation, I am afraid of having a panic attack. This makes me avoid many situations. Can you offer any help?......Page 96
69. I believe that it is a stigma to have panic attacks, so I don’t want to tell friends or family. What should I do?......Page 98
70. Is there any exercise I can do to prevent panic attacks?......Page 99
71. Should I take a leave of absence from my highly stressful job?......Page 100
72. Ever since I’ve had panic attacks I’ve been hyperaware of my looks. It sounds odd, but I think my head looks too big and my body small and spindly. What is happening to me?......Page 101
73. Should I tell my other doctors that I have panic disorder? I think that they’ll treat me differently and tell me that all my ailments are in my head.......Page 102
74. How do I tell my children about my panic attacks? Shouldn’t I tell them?......Page 104
75. My psychiatrist had to switch me from one medicine to another and then another. The one I’m on now (Lexapro® 20 mg/day) took a long time to kick in, and I only have about 80% relief from my panic disorder. What should I do?......Page 105
76. I’m afraid of needing to be hospitalized in a psychiatric unit for panic attacks. Can that happen?......Page 106
77. After 9/11, I wandered away from home and was unable to remember who I was or where I belonged. It was a horrible experience. My panic attacks began at that time, too. Can you explain?......Page 107
78. I’ve been told that I have multiple personality disorder with four different personalities. One of these personalities has panic attacks and the others don’t. Why is this true?......Page 108
79. I have asthma. Many times when I am having an asthma attack I feel a panic attack coming on, too. What can I do?......Page 109
80. I am always assessing myself to see if I’m O.K., to check if I am about to have a panic attack. Is there anything I can do?......Page 110
81. Why do I fear dying when I have a panic attack?......Page 111
82. I took yohimbine for my sexual dysfunction and had a panic attack. Should I be concerned about this?......Page 112
84. I once had a panic attack that lasted all day. Is that possible?......Page 113
85. I tried many other medicines, but now my psychiatrist has put me on an MAOI called Nardil®. It works, but I’m frightened that I’ll get a hypertensive crisis reaction. What can I do?......Page 114
86. What are the differences between medicines like Tofranil® and Prozac®? I took Tofranil® for a long time and felt much more stable, but I was always constipated so my doctor put me on Prozac®.......Page 116
87. I had a terrible time going off Paxil® after I was on this antidepressant for one year. In fact, I had thought my panic attacks were gone, but they came back with a vengeance as I was withdrawing from Paxil®. Now I’m afraid to eventry to go off. Can anything be done?......Page 117
88. Is there an increased risk for Alzheimer’s if you have panic disorder?......Page 118
89. When my allergies kick up, I always take antihistamines. Will these interfere with Zoloft®?......Page 119
91. Is there any truth to everyone worrying about increased suicidal risk with antidepressant use?......Page 120
92. What can I do about the fifteen pounds I’ve gained from taking my antidepressants?......Page 121
93. Does it make sense to have a social worker psychotherapist and a psychiatrist to take care of my medications?......Page 122
94. Do I need to get a CT scan or an MRI to really have a diagnosis of panic attacks made?......Page 123
95. When I was on HRT alone (no other medications), I felt fine, but as soon as I stopped it, my panic attacks came back. I can’t take HRT anymore because of the new studies and my strong family history of breast cancer. What can I do?......Page 124
96. Now that I’m finally panic attack-free, how can I live an enjoyable life and not worry about the attacks returning?......Page 125
98. How do I find a psychotherapist for me?......Page 126
99. What about alternate therapies like hypnosis?......Page 127
100. Where can I get more information?......Page 128
Appendix......Page 130
Glossary......Page 132
Index......Page 138