Health Canada (2002) reports that 1 percent of Canadians have panic disorder in any given year. .
What is the Etiology of panic disorder?.
There are several theories about the origins of panic disorder, such as; biological factors, psychological factors, and socio-cultural factors. In terms of biological factors, people may be predisposed for this disorder. Panic disorder occurs more often in Mono-zygotic (MZ) twins than in Di-zygotic (DZ) twins (Santrock & Mitterer). .
In terms of psychological factors, early learning factors including (vicarious ones) may contribute to a specific vulnerability for panic disorder by sensitizing individuals to the potential danger of somatic sensations. Thus, when a stress related panic attack occurs in someone with specific vulnerabilities this may lead to the conditioning of anxiety and/or panic (Bouton, Mineka, & Barlow, 2001).
Lastly, in terms of socio-cultural factors, North American women are twice as likely as men to have panic attacks. The reason for women having higher incidences than men of panic disorder includes gender socialization. Boys are encouraged to be independent; girls have a tendency to be protected more. Also women tend to experience more traumatic events in their lives (like; rape and child sexual abuse (Santrock & Mitterer, 2004). .
Treatments.
In regards to panic disorder there are several types of treatments available. The treatments most common among patients with panic disorder are pharmacotherapy (medication) and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) (Otto et al., 1998). .
Cognitive behavioral therapy 4.
The History of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
In the 1960s the earliest of the cognitive behavioural therapies emerged. It was not until the 1970s that the first major text on cognitive behavioral therapy appeared. Cognitive behavioral therapy uses treatments that attempt to change overt behavior by altering thoughts, interpretations, assumptions, and strategies of responding (Mahoney, 1995).
