The present investigation evaluated the associations between lifetime psychedelic use, abuse, and dependence and panic attacks. The study consisted of a representative epidemiological sample from a state wide survey of the Colorado general adult population (n=4745; 52% female). Consistent with prediction, after controlling for theoretically relevant variables, psychedelic abuse and dependence, ...

To compare short-term efficacy of benzodiazepines, antidepressants, psychological panic management, exposure in vivo, and combination treatments in panic disorder with or without agoraphobia (PA), a meta-analysis was conducted. Included were 106 studies, pertaining to 222 treatment conditions, 5,011 patients at pretest and 4,016 at posttest. Pre/post effect sizes Cohen's d were calculated withi...

Panic attacks are a fact of life in today’s culture. As much as 10% of the healthy population can suffer a panic attack within a given year. Various methods of treatment have been described in the literature to counteract these panic attacks. It has been noted that it is possible to alleviate panic disorder anxiety by performing convergence therapy. This somatic intervention functions as a vaga...

As listed in the DSM-IV-TR, the essential features of panic disorder are "the presence of recurrent, unexpected Panic Attacks, followed by at least 1 month of persistent concern ... or a significant behavioral change related to the attacks" (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Panic disorder is characterized by instances of an intense sense of impending doom in which many patients will fee...

CONTEXT Chest pain is a common symptom in primary care settings, associated with considerable morbidity and health care utilization. Failure to recognize panic disorder as the source of chest pain leads to increased health care costs and inappropriate management. OBJECTIVE To identify characteristics of the chest pain associated with the presence of panic disorder, review the consequences and...

Happily, it is no longer necessary to state that pharmacotherapy and behavior therapy are compatible. Unfortunately, however, it remains true that most therapists experienced in one are inexperienced in the other. It is for this reason that the editors have invited papers by two of the leading investigators of this interface. Dr. Zitrin reviews the evidence for the differential effects of antid...

Panic attacks may result from severe reduction of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in a person of low DHEA with normal or increased levels of cortisol. That is, an excessive ratio of cortisol to DHEA occurs which extinguishes the effects of unstable DHEA and magnifies the effects of cortisol. Prolactin increases during panic attacks and is correlated with attack severity. That is, prolactin increa...

1. Forty patients who had had syndromally-defined episodes of post-psychotic depression at least 6 months previously were interviewed in detail for life-time histories of substance abuse, panic attacks, and suicidal ideation. 2. No relationship was found between life-time history of suicidal ideation and substance abuse. 3. Statistically significant associations were found between lifetime hist...

AIMS To determine the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), acute myocardial infarction (MI), and CHD-related mortality in patients with panic attacks/disorder. METHODS AND RESULTS We conducted a cohort study using 650 practices in the 'General Practice Research Database'. We selected all 57 615 adults diagnosed with panic attacks/disorder and a random sample of 347 039 unexposed, frequency m...