POWER OVER PANIC: PANIC DISORDER AND GENERALISED ANXIETY
Central to panic disorder is the experience of spontaneous panic attacks. The attacks can be a result of a major life stress or a build-up of stress. People may have an attack months after an extremely stressful episode and never have another one. Other people may have intermittent attacks throughout their life, not necessarily at predictable times. A number of people have reported their panic attacks began while using marijuana.
Panic disorder is diagnosed after a person has experienced ‘at least two’ spontaneous panic attacks followed by one month of ‘persistent concern’ of having another one. Although it is not unusual for people who develop panic disorder to have two or more attacks a day and to experience pervasive anxiety in anticipation of having another one (APA 1994). Many people feel as if they are having a heart attack or they may die or go insane or lose control in some way.
Generalised anxiety disorder is diagnosed when a person experiences ‘anxiety and worry for at least six months over particular real life events’ such as marital or financial problems (APA 1994).
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