Symptoms of PANIC DISORDER

The physical symptoms of panic disorder are related, in part, to the sympathetic nervous system. This is one of the oldest parts of the nervous system. Stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system causes the release of catecholamines from the adrenal glands and stimulates the heart. It produces the flight or fight response, the physiological means for the body to survive. The heart rate increases and the heart pumps more forcefully. Irregular heart beats may occur. Sweating and trembling may occur. You may feel lightheaded or faint. Some people will complain of numbness and tingling of the mouth, the hands and the feet. This may be related to hyperventilation. You may feel butterflies in the stomach. Panic attacks produce severe emotional responses. There may be an intense fear of losing one’s mind (fear of going crazy). Others suffering from this disorder may fear dying, or have a sense of terror, doom or dread. The sensations may provoke a sense of unreality and give the sensation of a loss of contact with people and objects.