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Common clinical pictures

Here you will find further information about the most common clinical pictures.

  1. Addiction
  2. ADHD
  3. Anxiety Disorders
  4. Autism spectrum disorder
  5. Bipolar disorder
  6. Borderline personality disorder
  7. Burnout
  8. Chronic pain
  9. Depression
  10. Obsessive compulsive disorder
  11. Panic attacks
  12. Personality disorders
  13. Posttraumatic stress disorder
  14. Psychosis
  15. Psychosomatic complaints
  16. Schizophrenia
  17. Stress reactions

Panic attacks

Many people experience panic attacks in the course of their lives. These usually manifest themselves as a psychological reaction to stress, but can also occur as part of other illnesses. Causes of sudden panic can also be depressive episodes or other anxiety disorders. During a panic attack, the patient usually experiences a racing heart, a feeling of tightness in the chest, nausea or a strong feeling of fear. The symptoms that occur can last from a few minutes to several hours.

In the treatment of panic attacks, both medicinal and psychotherapeutic interventions can be used. While in the psychiatric field the focus is on treating the current symptoms, learning relaxation techniques can help to avert an impending panic attack. However, not everyone shows the same symptoms and not every coping strategy can be used equally well.

The description of a young woman illustrates how difficult a panic attack can be:

“Even before the panic breaks out completely, I get a feeling of pressure and tightness in the chest area, as if I were in a straitjacket. Triggers include thoughts about my future, stress at work or certain emotional experiences from the past. Sometimes I manage to shake off this state by doing some physical activity or starting to clean. Most of the time, however, this feeling builds up inside me more and more, even though the panic that is building up is not visible on the outside. My hands cramp slightly and I start to scratch my thumbs.

It gets really bad when I can hardly breathe; it feels like I'm about to suffocate. It's almost as if an elephant is sitting on my chest, which makes me cry. I also start to hyperventilate and hear my own heart pounding. I also notice a noise in my ear. The racing heart rate becomes so strong that I'm afraid my heart will give up at any moment. I can hardly calm down and my whole body shakes. In total, about 5 to 15 minutes pass, but it feels like an eternity. At the end of a panic attack I am completely exhausted and it takes me at least an hour to recover.”