Anxiety Disorders: Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia should not be diagnosed when the fear, anxiety, or avoidance is attributable to another mental disorder, such as social anxiety disorder, where the fear is of negative evaluation, or situational specific phobia, where the avoidance is limited to one specific situation and the focus of fear extends beyond panic-like, incapacitating, or embarrassing symptoms. The assumption that Agoraphobia is largely a consequence of panic-related symptoms has led researchers to focus on understanding the etiology of Panic Disorder as a means of understanding both Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia. This chapter focuses on the etiologic models of Panic Disorder. The burden of treating Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia typically falls upon the shoulders of the general practitioner or primary care physician. Here, treatment options typically consist of pharmacotherapy, combined with a few simple cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) exercises.