Panic Disorder: Clinical Features and Treatment

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MARY LOU DUPUIS: There's forest around lots of nature, very peaceful and serene. I like being here. Wish I could get out more, but if I'm going to be at home, this is a great place to be. I have what's called panic disorder.

I have these feelings of intense fear or apprehension when there's nothing to be fearful about. It can happen in the mall or in the grocery store. My particular issue is driving. You know, I'm very afraid of having a panic attack driving.

In particular, I have a hard time driving on highways, especially in busy areas of the city, where there's a lot of traffic where I might be afraid of losing control of the car, having a wreck, having a heart attack, because that's part of the—the fear response is the heart beating real fast, rapid breathing. I'm trying to talk about it, come out of isolation about it. And I'm trying to overcome my driving phobia.

My goal for today is I'm going to successfully get on the freeway for a fast trip to the park. Here's my home. I take a couple of right turns.

It's definitely affecting my ability to work. It's affecting my relationships. It's been very hard on my marriage.

Take a left. Go down this way, way up to Mount Bonnell, the park. You know, I'd like to just do ordinary things during the day.

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You know, I'd like to be able to work part-time. I would really like to.

When I'm driving and I start to have anxiety, I pay attention to my breath, somehow getting oxygen to your brain just really, really helps. Sometimes I'll turn the radio dial to show that I am in control, that this isn't like overpowering, me that I do have control.

There's lots of cars so I may have to wait in line, which I don't like. There's cars behind me. There's cars on the side. I'm breathing. I'm breathing, OK, the breathing. Breathing is essential—just chill, just chilling.

I am extremely lonely. I can't live my life in this house, just staying in this house all the time. It's unhealthy for me not to have more human contact.

The last time I visited my mother driving by myself was Christmas 2011. She lives 45 minutes away by highway. And I'd love to visit my mother. I mean, you know, she's my mother.

OK, so just me, but I always roll the window down before I get on the freeway to you hear the—to hear the traffic. Somehow it helps me, because I know what I'm up against. We're getting on the freeway. We're doing just fine.

It's too stressful for me to go on the highway. Though I love my mother and all, it's too much anxiety for me. It isn't worth it. It just, it's just so difficult.

No, I don't feel like I see my mother often enough. I will need to go up there more. That's what you do when your parents get elderly, you know.

This my mother. She is age 84. This is my father. He passed away two months ago.

It's been a rough winter. See when something like that happens, you look ahead and you realize your time is real limited. You really get in touch with your own mortality.

I feel that each of us has a special unique path in our lives and that we can look to a higher power to help us find our way. Being in nature and realizing that we're a large part of the whole, that helps us to figure out what our path is and ultimately that it be OK. It will be OK. It will be OK.

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Now this is not good, because we've got major traffic—a little anxious here, but doing OK. No, I'm not. I'm really not. And it's just so hard.

I'm just afraid. I mean it's just that—there's something about highways. There's so much stimulation.

There's so much danger. It's so fast. You know, there's so many cars. See I don't like this at all. If I have a panic attack, there's escape because there's so many cars on either side.

I'm fine. I'm serene and calm. Ultimately, it will be OK. I can already see the sign up there, 35th Street. I'm very happy to be getting close. What's the sign say here?

Yay. We're getting to our exit. Whoopie! I love our exit. Hey, we're about to get there. Here we are, Mount Bonnell Road.

[MAKING CAR NOISES]

My goodness. I did it. So I get to go to this beautiful park. I'm really happy to be out of the house. It's great.

I would tell people that suffer from panic disorder not to give up, that it does get better, that there is help out there, that they're not alone, that there are people who are professionals that can help them deal with the disorder. It does get better. It'll be OK.

I will tell my mother that I drove on the highway, and she'll be very proud of me. She'll be very proud of me.

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