Facts To Know!! Good diet and exercise can positively impact panic disorder. Generally, panic disorder occurs in people between the ages of 20 and 40 but it can also affect children and the elderly. Panic disorder is often misdiagnosed as a thyroid condition. The average length of panic attacks are 4-6 minutes. Panic disorder is twice as common in women as it is in men. Panic Disorder Watch short video introduction on what Panic Disorder looks like.