Can Panic Disorder Go Away On Its Own?

No, panic disorder does not generally go away on its own. Panic disorder requires treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). If CBT is not effective, or if the panic disorder is severe, then prescription medication treatment can be tried. In some cases, a combination of CBT and prescription drug treatment is needed. There are also alternative treatments, such as natural supplements, which are effective for panic disorder.

Now let’s look at the clinical course of panic disorder. There is a difference between men and women regarding the average age of onset of panic disorder. In women, the age of onset is between the ages of 25 and 34 years. In men, the age of onset is between the ages of 30 and 44 years (Wittchen and Essau, 1993). If you have panic disorder, there is a high rate of relapse, and many people with panic disorder have it for a long time (Hirschfeld, 1996). Compared to those with panic disorder without agoraphobia, those with panic disorder with agoraphobia tended to have earlier age of onset, earlier age of treatment, longer episodes, more severe panic symptoms, and more co-occurrence of psychiatric disorders (Grant et al., 2006).

In summary, panic disorder generally does not go away on its own, and requires treatment. Panic disorder tends to occur in early adulthood for women, and later in men. In addition, the panic disorder lasts a long time, and there are high rates of relapse.