TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT:

PANIC DISORDER

1.         Panic disorders and phobias affect at least 13 million persons.

1.         TRUE.  Because its victims often hide their illness and because so many health care professionals do not recognize the disorder, it is difficult to set accurate estimates of its prevalence.  However, the best recent estimates place the number of Americans suffering with panic disorder or phobias at 13 million.

2.          More women than men suffer from panic disorder.

2.         TRUE.   Surveys have shown that more women than men are afflicted with panic disorder by a ratio of approximately two to one and that panic disorder knows no racial, economic or geographic boundaries.

3.         Effective treatment begins with proper medical diagnosis.

3.         TRUE.  Following diagnosis by a psychiatrist or other physician, treatment can be undertaken through a variety of medical approaches including behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, medication or combinations of therapy and medication.

4.         With appropriate medical treatment, 9 out of 10 sufferers of panic attacks will improve and return to normal activities.

4.         TRUE. Today psychiatrists and other physicians have a number of medicines and therapies they can use to help panic sufferers.  A psychiatrist will usually first seek to ease a panic sufferer’s symptoms with education about the illness, medications if they are warranted, and other therapies to help manage a panic attack.  He or she will then help the patient work against the agoraphobia and other symptoms the attacks have produced.  They will continue to work together, through a variety of therapeutic methods, to address the ongoing consequences of the illness.

5.         Your health insurance plan will cover all the costs for treatment of panic disorder.

5.         FALSE.  Most health insurance will cover some costs of treatment.  Panic disorder is an illness like any other and should have the same amount of coverage.  Check your policy to see if treatment for panic disorder is covered equally.