2 - Panic Disorder
1. The Video Clip - Watch, Listen or Read
This topic page explores Panic Disorder, and how one panic attack can sometimes be the impetus for a much larger problem.
Select the desired media link below to watch the video, listen to the audio, or read the transcript.
Watch the Video
Listen to the Audio
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(right-click to download text file)
2. Notes
In this video, Dr. DiPasquale concludes his discussion of different types of anxiety disorders, by focusing here on Panic Disorder and it's conections to other anxiety problems .
Panic Disorder usually has a sudden onset in late adolescent and as a result is rarely seen in school age students. It usually starts with the individual experiencing an "out of the blue' panic attack characterized by intense fear. People often generalize panic attacks to the particular location where it occurred and will often learn to avoid that location for fear of having another panic attack. If they do go on to have another panic attack but in a different location, this pattern may result in agoraphobia as panic attacks are easily generalized to multiple locations.
Although rarely seen in K-12, a student with panic attacks or agoraphobia will benefit from support provided by social workers, therapists or other psychological professionals. A key component of the treatment should involve addressing the continued fear of panic attacks occurring.
3. Discussion Question: Anxiety and the School's Response
Anxiety Disorders can be either made worse or somewhat alleviated depending on how classmates and teachers respond to the affected student. Have you ever had a child with an anxiety problem in your class? What worked in assisting the child? Also, how well do you think we train children to support kids with these kinds of difficulties? How could we improve? Please share your thoughts on the discussion forum.
Which anxiety disorder do you feel would be most difficult for a child to cope with and most challenging for his or her teacher to support?
Please post your observations, comments, and questions below.
I think that a panic disorder would be the most difficult for a child to cope with especially if they asscoiated the disorder with school. As Dr.DiPasquale pointed out, people who experience panic attacks generalize so a student may think that everytime he /she is at school, he/she will have a panic attack. This would be very difficult for a Teacher, in that, it would be very difficult to assure a student that they are not going to have a panic attack. It is impossible to predict when or where an individual will have an attack. Professional intervention would definitely be needed.
I think that panic's association with fear makes it very difficult for kids to help other kids because they think that their friend is 'afraid' of something which can then be a target for teasing. Also, for those who have experiences a panic attack first-hand, it is a difficult feeling to express and therefore leaves students feeling like they cannot relate to anyone, that no one knows what they are going through. I wonder if that type of isolated feeling could lead to depression.