What’s the difference between PTSD and panic disorder?

2 Comments

1. shorti says:

   July 10, 2010 at 4:37 pm

   PTSD is when you have had a traumatic event occur. It’s Post traumatic stress disorder. A panic disorder is just genetic and can be triggered by anything
2. J. says:

   July 10, 2010 at 5:29 pm

   Both are anxiety disorders, being charactorised by increased anxiety out of proportion with the situation.

   A panic disorder is recurrant panic attacks, often triggered by situational factors, although sometimes uncued (i.e. in sleep, in restful or calm situation. Panic disorder is often co-morbid (present at the same time) as other anxiety disorders. A panic attack is laboured breathing, dizziness, sweating, feeling smothers, depersonalisation.derealisation, etc

   By comparision, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is charactorised by exposure to a traumatic event as the cause, re-experiencing the event, avoiding stimuli associated with it, hyperarousal, such as the startle effect (i.e. extremely jumpy). These symptoms are different from a panic disorder.

   Although panic atttacks may also occur in someone with PTSD, they do not have to for the person to fit the diagnosis. They *have* to occur to fit a panic disorder diagnosis.