Anxiety has a severe and prolonged impact on affected people. People can suffer from different types of anxiety, and each type of anxiety causes different types of symptoms. One type of anxiety disorder is panic disorder without agoraphobia. When panic disorder is diagnosed, it will be diagnosed either “with agoraphobia” or “without agoraphobia”. Agoraphobia is a condition in which a person associates panic attacks with specific environments and situations. This creates a fear of places that they believe triggers the panic attacks they are experiencing. Since panic attacks are so uncomfortable, a person will do whatever they can to prevent the attacks from happening. Those who are diagnosed with panic attacks with agoraphobia will avoid places and situations where they have previously had a panic attack.
Agoraphobia does not need to exist in order to be diagnosed with panic disorder. Panic disorder without agoraphobia is diagnosed when a person experiences panic attacks on a regular basis, and those panic attacks prevent the patient from having a favorable quality of life. People with panic disorder without agoraphobia experience recurrent and frequent panic attacks, but do not associate the attacks with specific places or situations.
Symptoms Of Panic Disorder Without Agoraphobia
Those who suffer from panic disorder without agoraphobia will experience symptoms of panic attacks, but not symptoms of agoraphobia. They will likely suffer from general anxiety, and often that anxiety becomes more intense, which creates the recurrent panic attacks and resulting panic disorder. Sometimes the development of symptoms can be progressive, or can be the result of a sudden stressor, such as am accident or major life event. Symptoms of panic disorder without agoraphobia include:
- Frequently experiencing symptoms of panic attacks
- Racing heart beat
- Sweating
- Nausea
- Hyperventilation or shortness of breath
- Chest pains
- Shooting pain through the arms and legs
- Stomachaches
- Ringing in ears
- Intense fear of dying
- Believing you are experiencing a medical emergency
- Believing you are dying
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Confusion and disorientation
- Fatigue
- Muscle tension
- Social withdrawal
The symptoms of a panic attack can last between 3 to 10 minutes and vary in intensity. The panic attacks may or may not be triggered by a stressor, and it is not uncommon for an affected person to have a panic attack and now know why it came about.
What To Do If You Think You Have Panic Disorder Without Agoraphobia
Living with panic disorder without agoraphobia is difficult, but it does not mean that you will suffer from recurrent panic attacks for the rest of your life. If you feel you may be suffering from a panic disorder, it is important for you to consult a medical or mental health professional. He or she will be able to help you develop a treatment and recovery plan that will help you understand how you developed a panic disorder and what you can do to prevent the panic attacks from affecting your quality of life.