In what anxiety disorder do individuals experience sudden attacks of overwhelming fear?

Panic disorder is characterized by recurrent and unexpected panic attacks, which are sudden episodes of intense fear or discomfort that reach a peak within minutes. During these attacks, individuals may experience a variety of physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, or feelings of impending doom. The attacks can be so severe that individuals often worry about experiencing future attacks, which can lead to significant changes in their behavior and daily life.

In contrast, phobic disorder involves excessive fear of specific objects or situations, but these fears are triggered by particular stimuli rather than occurring suddenly and unexpectedly like in panic disorder. Social anxiety disorder is marked by intense fear of social situations, where individuals worry about being judged or embarrassed in public, rather than experiencing abrupt panic. Generalized anxiety disorder involves chronic, excessive worry about various aspects of life, but does not include sudden attacks of fear. Therefore, the defining feature of panic disorder is the experience of these sudden and overwhelming fear episodes, making it the correct choice.