The First Time Celia Had a Panic Attack, She Was

question 112

Essay

The first time Celia had a panic attack, she was working at McDonalds. It was two days before her 20^th birthday. As she was handing a customer a Big Mac, she had the worst experience of her life. The earth seemed to open up beneath her. Her heart began to pound, she felt she was smothering, she broke into a sweat and she was sure she was going to have a heart attack and die. After about ten minutes of terror, the panic subsided. Trembling, she got in her car, raced home, and barely left the house for the next three months. Since that time, Celia has had about three attacks a month. She does not know when they are coming. During an attack, she feels dread, searing chest pain, smothering, choking, dizziness, and shakiness. She sometimes thinks this is not real and she is going crazy. She also thinks she is going to die. Which anxiety disorder does Celia likely have? Code the disorder on the correct axis. How would a cognitive theorist explain Celia's presenting symptoms?

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Definitions:

Decision Makers

Individuals or groups responsible for making choices that affect outcomes or determine strategies.

Proactive Tactics

Strategies employed to anticipate and address problems or opportunities before they arise, rather than reacting to them as they occur.

Agent-Target Relationship

describes the dynamic between an individual or entity (agent) that takes action and another individual or entity (target) that is affected by those actions.

Ingratiation

A psychological technique involving the use of flattery or other forms of manipulation to influence someone or gain their favor.