Panic Disorder experiences are characterized by high episodes of anxiety that are accompanied by intense somatic responses (body reactions).

Physiological responses are often experienced as signs of imminent danger to the person’s physical or mental integrity. This is the reason why a good part of panic attacks is attended in medical and hospital centers and not in psychological care services.

Anxiety responses have an adaptive function to the threat that activates various bodily systems that prepare the person to execute an action to protect themselves.

In panic attacks this adaptive reaction becomes excessive and loses its original function as there is no obvious threat to the person, but the reaction still occurs. After a while, this will develop in the fact that the person will react with fear to their own anxiety.

Often people mix between Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia.

Agoraphobia is the fear of being somewhere where it can be difficult to escape or to receive help. Agoraphobia is usually associated with episodes of intense anxiety that can take the form of a panic attack.