An Analysis of Uncued Panic Attacks in Panic Disorder continued

Jasmine Arthur-Jones and Bronwyn Fox

Results Panic Energy Descriptor Analysis

The results highlight the inherent differences between the peak of anxiety/fear response of a limited symptom (anxiety) attack and the 'energy' of a panic attack. Analysing the total experience of the energy descriptors, the following energy descriptors show much higher proportions for Panic Disorder participants compared to other Anxiety Disorder participants: electric current (67% vs 6%, P<0.001), 'unusual' intense flows of energy (69% vs 9%, P<0.001), vibration energy (50% vs 6%, P<0.008), wave-like motion of energy (50% vs 8%, P<0.007), hot prickly sensation (50% vs 11%, P<0.05), rushes of energy shaking the body (47% vs12%, P<0.03), intense heat or burning pain (42% vs 8%, P<0.005), ice cold sensation (44% vs 11%, P<0.03), and 'ants crawling' sensation over body (42% vs 14%, P<0.09). Only Panic Disorder participants experienced the energy descriptor white hot flame (22%).

Energy descriptors common to both panic attack and limited symptom (anxiety) attack that may describe the anxiety/fear response energy were a tingly sensation (44% vs 42%) and a creeping sensation (39% vs. 33%). Tingly sensation was experienced predominantly without fear and as anxiety by both Panic Disorder and other Anxiety Disorder participants. The creeping sensation was experienced predominantly as anxiety by both groups.

Energy descriptors predominantly categorised by Panic Disorder participants as experienced and then panic were as follows: 'unusual' intense flows of 'energy' throughout the body, electric current moving through the body, vibration moving through the body, rushes of energy shaking the body, intense heat or burning pain moving through the body and less predominantly, ice cold sensation moving through the body. These 'energies' were experienced first then the people panic. Also, the results show clearly that other Anxiety Disorder participants rarely experience these energies then experience a limited symptom (anxiety) attack compared to Panic Disorder participants.

Energy descriptors predominantly categorised by Panic Disorder participants as panic energy were as follows: hot prickly sensation moving through the body, intense heat or burning pain moving through the body, rushes of energy shaking the body, 'unusual' intense flows of energy throughout the body, electric current moving through the body and vibration moving through the body.

Once again, the results show clearly that other Anxiety Disorder participants rarely or never experience these energies as panic/peak of a limited symptom (anxiety) attack compared to Panic Disorder participants.

Interestingly, some energy descriptors categorised as anxiety by Panic Disorder participants are not experienced equally as anxiety by other Anxiety Disorder participants. This highlights that perhaps these energies are experienced on an ongoing basis but are not associated by Panic Disorder participants as related to the panic attack itself. If these energies were in fact anxiety energy, the other Anxiety Disorder participants would have a high probability of experiencing them - as in the tingly and creeping sensations. This indicates further ground for investigation. These energy descriptors are as follows: 'ants crawling' sensation over the body, ice cold sensation through the body, itching sensation through the body and rippling sensation through the body.