MCAT® ExamPsychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of BehaviorMedium
A patient reports experiencing a sudden, intense sensation of fear, accompanied by heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, and a feeling of impending doom. These episodes occur unpredictably and reach a peak within minutes. After ruling out medical causes, a psychiatrist notes that the patient has experienced several such episodes and is now constantly worried about having another one, leading to avoidance of certain situations. What is the most appropriate diagnosis?
- ASpecific Phobia
- BPanic Disorder
- CObsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- DSocial Anxiety Disorder
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Panic Disorder
The description of sudden, intense physical and cognitive symptoms peaking within minutes, coupled with persistent worry about future attacks and avoidance behavior, perfectly aligns with the diagnostic criteria for Panic Disorder.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Specific Phobia involves intense fear of a particular object or situation, not generalized unpredictable attacks.
- C. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder involves recurrent intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions).
- D. Social Anxiety Disorder involves fear of social situations due to fear of negative judgment.
Panic Disorder
An anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks, which are abrupt surges of intense fear or discomfort that reach a peak within minutes, along with persistent worry about future attacks or their consequences.
- Requires unexpected panic attacks
- Persistent worry about future attacks or maladaptive behavior changes to avoid attacks
- Symptoms include palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, fear of losing control or dying
Memory trick: GAD-P-S-O-A: GAD, Panic, Social, OCD, Agoraphobia.