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Criteria for Panic Attack
A panic attack is a syndrome or reproducible cluster of symptoms that can
occur in several different anxiety Disorders including Panic Disorder, Social
Phobia, Simple Phobia, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. It is not, in itself,
a specific diagnosis. Panic attacks in different patients may display diverse
characteristics.
The essential feature of a panic attack is the occurrence of a discrete
period of intense fear discomfort, usually lasting for several minutes, and
accompanied by at least four of the following symptoms, which develop abruptly
and reach a peak of intensity within 10 minutes.
- Palpitations, pounding, or accelerated hear rate
- Sweating
- Trembling or shaking
- Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
- Feeling of choking
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Nausea or abdominal distress
- Feeling, dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint
- Derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached
from oneself
- Fear of losing control or going crazy
- Fear of dying
- Parasthesias (numbness or tingling sensations)
- Chills or hot flushes
Criteria for Agoraphobia
Anxiety about being in places or situations from which escape might be
difficult (or embarrassing) or in which help may not be available in the event
of having an unexpected or situationally predisposed panic attack or
panic-like symptoms. Agoraphobic fears typically involve characteristic
clusters of situation that include being outside the home alone; being in a
crowd or standing in line; being on a bridge; and traveling in a bus, train,
or automobile.
The situations are avoided (e.g., travel is restricted) or else are endured
with marked distress or with anxiety about having a panic attack or panic-like
symptoms, or require the presence of a companion.
The anxiety or phobic avoidance is not better accounted for by another
mental disorder, such as Social Phobia, Specific Phobia, Obsessive-compulsive
Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or Separation Anxiety Disorder.
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