Teen Panic Attacks

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Children transition to teenagers often causes great stress on teens. Teenagers often feel pressure to do things that they wouldn’t normally do and feel overwhelmed with new school activities. Some teens may experience extreme cases of depression, family stresses and less family support. In the other hand some teens that are experiencing the above circumstances are not able to control the different changes or the harsh circumstances that their going through, and they often express their emotion with a panic attack. A panic attack is a “sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause” (Mayo Clinic, 1998). Many people only have one or two panic attacks in their life and their terror goes away. But, in some cases people have constant episodes of panic attacks and then it becomes a condition that is refers as panic disorder. Adolescents are more likely to have a severe panic disorder than adults. Panic attacks were seen as nerves or stress by doctors but as researchers study panic attacks they recognized it as a medical conditions. Panic attacks affect a person’s lifestyle and can often make a person fear that at any minute they could have a panic episode. Patients who seek treatment from doctors can receive medications that can control their panic episodes.
Panic Attacks are often seen between the ages of 20 and 33 but according to the journal “Panic and Panic disorders in Adolescents”, there is increasing evidence that panic disorders can begin as early as five years of age, and a substantial number of cases occur in the teens”. Panic attacks can range between any age, and according to the journal even a young child can have a panic disorder. Although any person...

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... as a normal once in a lifetime event where you might express fear of something. But, when the panic attack becomes more than one or two events it can become a panic disorder which can affect any teen social interaction and health. Teens must seek immediate treatment when they face several episodes of panic disorders.

Works Cited
Mayo Clinic, S. (1998). Panic attacks and panic disorder. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/panic-attacks/DS00338
Lee Macaulay, J., & Kleinknecht, R. (1989). Panic and panic attacks in adolescents. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 3(4), 221-241. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0887-6185(89)90016-9 (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0887618589900169)
Panic disorder: When fear overwhelms. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/panic-disorder-when-fear-overwhelms/index.shtml

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