Treatment of Panic Disorder using Cognitive-Behavior method
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is proven in the treatment of panic disorder and is currently the most widely used method. The shortened format of the treatment has also been used on patients with the same success.
Panic Disorder is one of the most frequently observed among all anxiety disorders. The starting age is usually around 20. Patients with panic disorder who do not accept the psychological root of their condition ask for psychiatric help only after all their medical solution attempts fail to yield results. During sudden or situational panic attack episodes, the patient experiences fear regarding anxiety and discomfort and creates disaster scenarios. DSM-IV-TR separates these sensations to two groups; physical (shortness of breath, increased heart-rate, dizziness, etc.) and cognitive (fear of death, drowning, going insane, etc.). The three basic elements in Clark’s "vicious cycle" panic model -emotional reaction, physical sensations and negative thoughts and scenarios associated with these - follow and trigger each other in this order. With the occurrence of panic attack, intense alertness to physical changes, acts of safety for preventing the attack and avoidance are actually factors that encourage the disorder. Main treatment methods used in Panic Disorder are cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic and pharmacotherapy. Benefits of cognitive-behavioral and pharmacotherapy have been proven in many studies. The main goal of cognitive-behavioral therapy is to create awareness with the patient that his thoughts and beliefs may cause panic attacks and to normalize anxiety. Another important element is to encourage refraining from factors that feed the disorder. Defining negative thoughts, informing the patient on what he is going through, concentration exercises, questioning automatic thinking are all used in cognitive approach. Using behavioral exercises such as relaxation, focusing on the body and breathing exercises, the patient may be put through the situations that are experienced during panic episodes and disaster scenarios are questioned. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is proven in the treatment of panic disorder and is currently the most widely used method. The shortened format of the treatment has also been used on patients with the same success.