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.