A panic attack is a sudden feeling of terror. Usually it does not last long, but it may feel like forever. The cause can be something as normally uneventful as driving over a bridge or flying in an airplane. And it can happen even if the person has driven over many bridges or flown many times before. A fast heart beat. Sweaty hands. Difficulty breathing. A lightheaded feeling. At first a person may have no idea what is wrong. But these can all be signs of what is known as panic disorder. The first appearance usually is between the ages of 18 and 25. In some cases it develops after a tragedy, like the death of a loved one, or some other difficult situation.
In the United States, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) says more than two million people are affected in any one-year period. The American Psychological Association says panic disorder is two times more likely in women than men. And it can last anywhere from a few months to a lifetime.
Panic attacks can be dangerous—for example, if a person is driving at the time. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge in the state of Maryland is so long and so high over the water, it is famous for scaring motorists. There is even a driver assistance program to help people get across. Some people who suffer a panic attack develop a phobia, a deep fear of ever repeating the activity that brought on the attack.
But experts say panic disorder can be treated. Doctors might suggest anti-anxiety or antidepressant medicines. Talking to a counselor could help a person learn to deal with or avoid a panic attack. There are breathing methods, for example, that might help a person calm down. Panic disorder is included among what mental health professionals call anxiety disorders. A study published last week reported a link between anxiety disorders and several physical diseases. It says these include thyroid disease, lung and stomach problems, arthritis, migraine headaches and allergic conditions. Researchers at the University of Manitoba in Canada say that in most cases the physical condition followed the anxiety disorder. But, they say, exactly how the two are connected remains unknown.
The report in the Archives of
Internal Medicine
came from a German health study of more than 4,000 adults.
单选题
All of the following may be symptoms of panic disorder EXCEPT ______.
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】[解析] 答案参见第一段,本段列出了各种症状,D项“低血压”文中并未提及。
单选题
How many Americans are likely to suffer panic disorder every year according to NIMH?
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 答案参见第二段第一句中的more than two million,选项C的above与more than同义,故正确答案为C。
单选题
The probability for American females to be affected by panic disorder is ______ that for American males.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 答案参见第二段第二句,女人患惊恐性障碍的可能性比男人高两倍,即是男人的三倍。
单选题
Which of the following spots is most likely to cause drivers to suffer panic disorder according to the passage author?