Panic Disorder

Diana Medina

Panic Disorder

A psychiatric disorder in which debilitating, feeling of worry, and fear arise frequently and without reasonable cause.

Panic disorder with agoraphobia

Repeated panic attacks in which the patient is worried about the attacks enough that the worry effects their activity

People with panic disorder learn to avoid places were they may be trapped leading to agoraphobia

May refuse to leave the house unless they are accompanied by someone and avoid crowded places

Associated Features * A body sensation that causes them to feel they are loosing control

- Fear being trapped or unable to get help during a panic attack

- Fear of embarrassment

- Sensitive to ether small or wide open places

- Lock themselves from the outside world

DSM-IV-TR

Panic Attacks Unexpected panic attack

- must arise out of no were meaning there is no cue or trigger.

Situational bound panic attack - Expose to a specific stimulus or cue in the environment

Situationally predisposed panic - The person has tendency to have a panic attack in situations but does not have them all the time.

How common is the disorder?

Females get panic disorders about two times more than males do

Females tend to have panic disorder with agoraphobia three times more than males

Can occur in just about anyone

more common in clinical setting

Treatment Panic control therapy (PCT)

Relaxing training

Discussion If you had a friend who had Panic disorder

with agoraphobia, how might you help him or her?

Halgin,R.P.&Whitboume,S.K.(2005).Abnormal psychology. New york New York: McGraw-Hill.