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A case of panic disorder treated with breathing retraining
Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry
|March 1, 1985
Summary
Breathing retraining effectively reduces panic attack frequency and intensity. This behavioral management approach addresses respiratory control, offering a novel treatment for panic disorder.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Behavioral Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Panic attacks are prevalent in psychiatric populations, yet behavioral management strategies remain under-explored.
- Hyperventilation is a potential contributing factor to the onset and maintenance of panic attacks.
- Respiratory control techniques may offer a valuable therapeutic avenue for panic disorder.
Observation:
- A breathing retraining method was applied to a patient diagnosed with panic disorder (DSM-III).
- The study observed the impact of respiratory retraining on panic attack symptoms.
Findings:
- Breathing retraining significantly reduced both the frequency and intensity of panic attacks.
- The intervention demonstrated the efficacy of behavioral management in treating panic disorder.
Implications:
- Breathing retraining presents a viable, non-pharmacological treatment option for panic attacks.
- Further research into aberrant cognitions and the unique phenomenology of panic attacks is warranted.
- This study highlights the importance of addressing physiological mechanisms in anxiety disorders.