Panic Disorder

This site will help you understand Panic Disorder and show you how to recover. And, if you're like most people with panic disorder, you can recover. Panic is a very treatable problem.


Panic attacks aren't dangerous, but are especially effective in persuading you that yours are. This is what panic does, convince you that you are at risk. Even people who have had many panic attacks will fall for the idea that "this one won't be like the others..."


"Out of the Blue"...At First



Each time you "escape", but...

Each panic attack ends, without killing you, making you crazy, or any of those terrible things it seems to threaten. But this by itself, that you survived all your attacks without calamity, isn't usually enough to enable people to leave their fears behind.

You might think you had a series of "narrow escapes", and attribute your survival to the fact that you left the crowded store; pulled off the highway; took a sip of cool water; or talked to a friend on your cell phone.

These aren't really responses that could save your life or your sanity, although it seems to make sense at the time. But it's not reassuring to think your life hangs on something as insubstantial as a water bottle, or a walk to the parking lot. So each time you "get through" an attack in this manner, you tend to feel less secure rather than more.

This is what maintains Panic Disorder. If you believe that the only reason you lived through a panic attack was that you had some gum with you, you're not going to feel very secure going forward, and you're going to be constantly buying gum.

A key part of the recovery process will be to learn to respond to panic in ways that calm it down, rather than build it up.

What Causes Panic Attacks?

People who struggle with Panic Disorder usually have a lot of questions. They want to know what causes panic attacks, and they especially want to know "why me?".

It seems logical to suppose that knowing why you have this problem would help you overcome it. But all too often, people get so focused on "why?" that they become more stuck, rather than less.

For a discussion of these issues, and some questions that are more likely to help you recover, have a look at the article What Causes Panic Attacks?

Panic and Phobias


Maybe you don't avoid anything, but you do things differently than before. You might bring your spouse or support person to go to places you would previously visit alone. Maybe you do everything the same way you used to, but you go through a lot of nervous anticipation ahead of time.

These efforts to protect yourself with avoidance are often the most disabling aspect of Panic Disorder, one which leads people to give up many other pleasurable and useful activities.

Panic Disorder is actually a very solvable problem, once you've come to understand how it works. A good recovery, in which you're no longer particularly bothered by panic attacks, is very attainable for most people. If you're looking for an inexpensive guide which will take you through the recovery process, take a look at my Panic Attacks Workbook.

Panic and Agoraphobia

Panic Disorder is usually diagnosed as being "Panic Disorder with "Agoraphobia" or "Panic Disorder without "Agoraphobia".


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Last updated on February 11, 2015