| Panic DisorderPsychology Assignment | Rohit Jayal | 11/20/13 | XI-C | |

| Panic DisorderPsychology Assignment | Rohit Jayal | 11/20/13 | XI-C | |

Contents
1 Signs and symptoms
2 Causes
3 Psychological Models
4 Medical Model
5 Mediators and moderators of panic disorder
6 Substance abuse
7 Diagnosis
8 Treatment
9 Psychotherapy
10 Medication
11 Other treatments
12 Epidemiology.
13 Panic disorder in juveniles
14 Case Study.

Definition

Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurring severe panic attacks. It may also include significant behavioural changes lasting at least a month and of ongoing worry about the implications or concern about having other attacks. The latter are called anticipatory attacks (DSM-IVR). Panic disorder is not the same as agoraphobia (fear of public places), although many afflicted with panic disorder also suffer from agoraphobia. Panic attacks cannot be predicted, therefore an individual may become stressed, anxious or worried wondering when the next panic attack will occur. Panic disorder may be differentiated as a medical condition, or chemical imbalance. The DSM-IV-TR describes panic disorder and anxiety differently. Whereas anxiety is preceded by chronic stressors which build to reactions of moderate intensity that can last for days, weeks or months, panic attacks are acute events triggered by a sudden, out-of-the-blue cause: duration is short and symptoms are more intense. Panic attacks can occur in children, as well as adults. Panic in young people may be particularly distressing because children tend to have less insight about what is happening, and parents are also likely to experience distress when attacks occur.
Screening tools like Panic Disorder Severity Scale can be used to detect possible cases of disorder, and suggest the need for a formal diagnostic assessment.