Panic Disorder

1. Panic Disorder Diana Medina

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

3. 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

4. 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

5. DSM-IV-TR

6. 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.

7. 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

8. Treatment • Panic control therapy (PCT) • Relaxing training

9. Discussion • If you had a friend who had Panic disorder with agoraphobia, how might you help him or her?

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