Panic Disorder … It’s Real

One out of every eight Americans suffer from Social Anxiety Disorder. If you have an extreme case where your anxiety turns into a panic attack, you feel like you're going to die. You think you're having a heart attack, you can't breathe normally, and you feel a sense of impending doom.The reason I bring up this subject is because I have important loved ones in my life who have been diagnosed and suffer from this hideous disorder, so I know it's real. It's as real as any physical disease.

Back when my daughter was a teenager, one day from out of the blue and in tears, she told me I had to drive her to the emergency room because of an upcoming panic attack.

Once we arrived, before we could even get to the triage desk to check in, she collapsed in a heap on the floor. She told me she was certain she was dying. Pretty scary stuff!!

Obviously they whisked her right in where it was determined she was suffering from panic disorder. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, scientists have discovered that certain parts of the brain, and how they interact, play a major role in the formation of anxiety and panic disorders. In other words, their brains are "wired" differently, which is one of the reasons why individuals suffer from mental illness.

Through psycholgical therapy and the right medication, affected individuals can learn to act somewhat "normal", whatever that means.

Unfortunately, I have friends who don't understand the "whys" and "hows" of mental illness so when the subject comes up in conversation, their eyes glaze over and they tune right out. If you're interested, check out this video. You just might be surprised.