The Brain The Brain: Organ of the Mind The human brain is the most complex organ that exists on the face of the earth. It contains a staggering 110 billion brain cells. The number of connections possible between these brain cells is 10 followed by 23 zeros. Panic attacks occur when the seat of the Fight-or-Flight reaction goes awry; it discharges norepinephrine in the absence of any danger. The seat of the Fight-or-Flight center is the Locus Coeruleus. A little nucleus of about 20,000 cells that produces 70% of the brain's Norephinephrine. The Cerebellum, Medulla, and the Hippocampus play important roles in both Panic Attacks and Fight-Or-Flight. The invisible tiger lives in the Locus Coeruleus. WHAT IS PANIC and PANIC DISORDER? Most of us feel bouts of anxiety or disturbing fear on occasion. Taking a driver license test or having a job interview makes almost everyone nervous, for example. sometimes it's so bad we don't do very well. And of course, unsteady feelings, tenseness, and a racing heart can be normal reactions when we are faced with danger or an unfamiliar situation. But panic attacks are much different. At least in the beginning, they occur out of the blue, when there is no actual danger-typically in familiar settings or situations. The victim is completely aware that there is no reason to feel shaky and terrified. Similar feelings in the face of danger would be a normal reaction serving a useful-perhaps even lifesaving-purpose. But a panic attack serves no useful purpose; in fact, it is likely to become a significant problem. A panic attack usually lasts just a few minutes but can appear to last for hours, because its symptoms can be so overwhelming. The American Psychiatric Association defines a panic disorder as an unprovoked surge of fear accompanied by at least four of the following physical and emotional symptoms: *shortness of breath or smothering sensations - dizziness or faintness - accelerated heart rate - trembling or shaking - sweating - choking - nausea or abdominal distress - feelings of detachment or unreality - chest discomfort or pain - numbness or tingling sensations - hot flashes or chills - chest pain - a fear of dying - going crazy - losing control. An unprovoked attack of sudden fear that includes fewer than 4 symptoms is called a limited-symptom panic attack. Sudden and intense anxiety triggered by situations in which a person fears being the focus of others' attention is not a true panic disorder. The difference between a person who has panic attacks and one who has panic disorder has to do with the frequency of the attacks - or their emotional impact. A person who has four or more panic attacks in any 4-week period is said to have panic disorder. Or a person who has fewer than four attacks followed by a month of persistent fear of having another attack may also be diagnosed as having panic disorder. There is so much controversy over panic panic attacks and panic disorder - I wish they would all get together and cure this disorder. It is not a mental health issue it is chemical imbalance in the brain that has gone haywire and sending wrong signals to the body. It is also inherited from a parent or from your parent's family. I hope I have made panic disorder a little more clear to those who don't understand this disorder and pray for us who have this very deliberating condition. A term commonly used for severe phobic avoidance is agoraphobia, which literally means a fear of the marketplace (that is, a fear of leaving home and going out in public). Physicians now understand that for people who have panic disorder, agoraphobia is not so much the fear of leaving home as it is the fear of being in a situation from which escape would be difficult (or in which help would be unavailable) if a panic attack occurred. Thus, agoraphobia is sometimes called "the fear of fear itself." Helpful Hints - Forward Emplyment - Back HOME
The Brain
The Brain: Organ of the Mind
The human brain is the most complex organ that exists on the face of the earth.
It contains a staggering 110 billion brain cells. The number of connections possible between these brain cells is 10 followed by 23 zeros.
Panic attacks occur when the seat of the Fight-or-Flight reaction goes awry; it discharges norepinephrine in the absence of any danger. The seat of the Fight-or-Flight center is the Locus Coeruleus. A little nucleus of about 20,000 cells that produces 70% of the brain's Norephinephrine.
The Cerebellum, Medulla, and the Hippocampus play important roles in both Panic Attacks and Fight-Or-Flight.
The invisible tiger lives in the Locus Coeruleus.
WHAT IS PANIC and PANIC DISORDER?
Most of us feel bouts of anxiety or disturbing fear on occasion. Taking a driver license test or having a job interview makes almost everyone nervous, for example. sometimes it's so bad we don't do very well. And of course, unsteady feelings, tenseness, and a racing heart can be normal reactions when we are faced with danger or an unfamiliar situation.
But panic attacks are much different. At least in the beginning, they occur out of the blue, when there is no actual danger-typically in familiar settings or situations. The victim is completely aware that there is no reason to feel shaky and terrified. Similar feelings in the face of danger would be a normal reaction serving a useful-perhaps even lifesaving-purpose. But a panic attack serves no useful purpose; in fact, it is likely to become a significant problem.
A panic attack usually lasts just a few minutes but can appear to last for hours, because its symptoms can be so overwhelming. The American Psychiatric Association defines a panic disorder as an unprovoked surge of fear accompanied by at least four of the following physical and emotional symptoms:
*shortness of breath or smothering sensations - dizziness or faintness - accelerated heart rate - trembling or shaking - sweating - choking - nausea or abdominal distress - feelings of detachment or unreality - chest discomfort or pain - numbness or tingling sensations - hot flashes or chills - chest pain - a fear of dying - going crazy - losing control.
An unprovoked attack of sudden fear that includes fewer than 4 symptoms is called a limited-symptom panic attack. Sudden and intense anxiety triggered by situations in which a person fears being the focus of others' attention is not a true panic disorder.
The difference between a person who has panic attacks and one who has panic disorder has to do with the frequency of the attacks - or their emotional impact. A person who has four or more panic attacks in any 4-week period is said to have panic disorder. Or a person who has fewer than four attacks followed by a month of persistent fear of having another attack may also be diagnosed as having panic disorder.
There is so much controversy over panic panic attacks and panic disorder - I wish they would all get together and cure this disorder. It is not a mental health issue it is chemical imbalance in the brain that has gone haywire and sending wrong signals to the body. It is also inherited from a parent or from your parent's family.
I hope I have made panic disorder a little more clear to those who don't understand this disorder and pray for us who have this very deliberating condition.
A term commonly used for severe phobic avoidance is agoraphobia, which literally means a fear of the marketplace (that is, a fear of leaving home and going out in public). Physicians now understand that for people who have panic disorder, agoraphobia is not so much the fear of leaving home as it is the fear of being in a situation from which escape would be difficult (or in which help would be unavailable) if a panic attack occurred. Thus, agoraphobia is sometimes called "the fear of fear itself."
Helpful Hints - Forward
Emplyment - Back
HOME