How common are panic attacks?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 4.7% of the adult population in the U.S. experience panic disorder at some time in their lives. Panic Disorder is different than simply having a panic attack.
Panic attacks on their own are not diagnosable according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) but are included as the main symptom of Panic Disorder, which is diagnosable. Therefore we don’t have prevalence rates on panic attacks as stand-alone experiences; however, if 4.7% of the US population experiences full-blown panic disorder (which is the combination of experiencing panic attacks and then developing a fear about having a panic attack that you begin to change your behavior in order to avoid the perception of triggering them), then I think it’s fair to assume that more than 4.7% of the population has experienced at least one panic attack in their lifetime.
Continue reading “Panic Attacks: Tips to Manage & Mitigate the Effects”