Panic Attacks: Still no closer to its initial cause

I will start “back to front” by looking at some advantages that Internet brings to us. Of course, the main advantage is that people can learn about their condition and also connect to various self-help groups which provide invaluable support during times when friends, family or health professionals are not available to give help and support. Internet has made a “panic patient” one of the most informed patient about their condition compared to many others. And yet, a significant proportion of panic patients are still not closer to “feeling better” than they were at the beginning of their panic episodes. Their condition may have changed in its priorities and their coping strategies may have changed, but the very problem of Panic is still there. FEAR of the next panic.

We now have various medications that help some and not the others and by most part, doctors prescribe the medication that they are familiar with and often it is still a trial and error approach.

We also have an enormous number of non-medicative treatments, some accepted by the scientific community and some not, some working well for some people and some not.

Has a demand for Panic treatments increased in the last decade? It seems so. But do any of the above mentioned treatments/therapies CURE panic?

In our search for cure, do we actually know what doctors think, what researchers think, most importantly what patients think? It would seem that all of those groups would probably have a different thoughts of what panic attacks is, feels, its origins and its course, as they have a different reason for having an interest in Panic Attacks and/or disorder.

But the question is: “Whose definition of panic matters most?” And why do we need to consider definitions other than DSM for example.

But the ultimate question is: Can we cure panic? And in my opinion we should also ask patients and ourselves who work in the health industry either as research or clinicians:

Are we happy to have a life-long treatment but no cure?

Did we stop looking into differences between patient groups?

Do we still have a hit-miss treatment?

Are we looking into preventing panic attacks rather than treat it after it happens?

About the Author

I am Psychophysiologist and have interest in Panic Disorder, Ethics of Assisted reproduction, Longevity and online Trading. Although those are diverse interests I find them complementary and equally interesting. I have been teaching a variety of subjects at the University level for many years and am active in scientific research.

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