Panic Disorder The defining characteristics of panic disorder as given by the American Psychiatric Association consist of the following four criterions: The person has experienced repeated unexpected episodes of panic attacks. At least one of these panic attacks must have been followed by persistent worries lasting approximately a month or more regarding the fear of the consequences of the attack, or a specific change in the person’s lifestyle due to the experience. During the …showed first 75 words of 2941 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2941 total…short time.” I can’t rationalize it, I don’t think at all.” I know I can but I just can’t seem to convince myself. I’m so afraid that I wouldn’t be able to tell myself that when I’m in the car, and that’s when it counts. I don’t want to be in that kind of situation.” R Reid Wilson, Ph.D., Don’t Panic (New York: Harper Perennial., 1996), 122