An Analysis of Uncued Panic Attacks in Panic Disorder
Jasmine Arthur-Jones and Bronwyn Fox
Table 7. summarises the results investigating Derealisation and depersonalisation phenomenon experienced prior and during an uncued panic attack and a limited symptom (anxiety) attack. Note. Total also includes figures from meditation experiences.
PD - Panic Disorder vs AD - Other Anxiety Disorders
Dissociation experiences |
Experience then panic PD (AD) |
Panic PD (AD) |
Experience no fear PD (AD) |
Anxiety PD (AD) |
Total PD (AD) |
Expanded so that you feel huge/ larger than normal |
17% (0%) |
3% (0%) |
8% (3%) |
3% (3%) |
36% (8%) |
Body has shrunk to minute proportions/ smaller than usual |
11% (0%) |
0% (3%) |
8% (3%) |
6% (0%) |
25% (6%) |
Witness of what is happening to your body |
14% (11%) |
8% (0%) |
14% (0%) |
11% (0%) |
50% (11%) |
| Feel as if you are falling into a void | 8% (6%) |
11% (0%) |
8% (3%) |
6% (3%) |
36% (11%) |
"Outside of body" either situated alongside, above or behind it" |
3% (3%) |
8% (0) |
19.4% (3%) |
3% (0%) |
39% (6%) |
Eyes are closed and unable to open them |
11% (3%) |
6% (0%) |
0% (3%) |
0% (3%) |
19.4% (8.3%) |
Feel as if you are floating |
22% (6%) |
8% (0%) |
17% (3%) |
17% (0%) |
67% (14%) |
Feel as if body is being pressed to the ground |
3% (0%) |
8% (3%) |
6% (0%) |
6% (0%) |
25% (3%) |
Experience a feeling of "superhuman strength" |
3% (0%) |
3% (0%) |
0% (6%) |
0% (0%) |
8% (6%) |
You and your surroundings do not seem real |
25% (8%) |
31% (6%) |
8% (3%) |
25% (8%) |
72% ( 19%) |
Experience your surroundings through a diffused light, fog or mist |
17% (6%) |
25% (0%) |
11% (6%) |
8% (6%) |
56%( 17%) |
Experience a visual sensation where stationary objects appear to move |
17% (3%) |
14% (3%) |
8% (0%) |
28% (3%) |
56% (6%) |
Experience whole body being enveloped in light |
3% (0%) |
3% (0%) |
6% (0%) |
3% (0%) |
22% (0%) |
Analysis of the other Anxiety Disorder results show that dissociation play an insignificant role in the limited symptom (anxiety) attack. The Panic Disorder results, however, show a highly significant relationship between dissociation and a uncued panic attack. Experiences with a very high correlation to Panic Disorder and panic attacks compared to Anxiety Disorder are: you and your surroundings do not seem real (72% vs 19%, P<0.002), feel as if you are floating (67% vs 14%, P<0.008), experience surroundings through a diffused light, fog or mist (56% vs17%, P<0.01) and experience a visual sensation where stationary objects appear to move (56% vs 6%, P<0.002). Only Panic Disorder participants experience their whole body being enveloped in light (22%).
Experiences categorised to a higher proportion by Panic Disorder participants as experienced then panic were: your body is expanded so that you feel huge/larger than normal, your body has shrunk to minute proportions/smaller than usual and feel as if you are floating. Also categorised significantly as experienced then panic were:' witness of what is happening to you, falling into a void, you and your surroundings do not seem real, experience surroundings through a diffused light, fog or mist and experience a visual sensation where stationary objects appear to move. These experiences may be experienced and then overwhelming energy movements may occur or energy movements may occur simultaneously to the dissociative experiences and then panic.
Experiences categorised to a higher proportion by Panic Disorder participants as panic or central to the panic attack experience were a feeling of falling into a void; feeling as if your body is pressed to the ground; you and your surroundings do not seem real; and experience surroundings through a diffused light, fog or mist. Also categorised significantly as experienced as panic were:' witness' of what is happening to you; 'outside of body' either situated alongside, above or behind it; closed and are unable to open them and feel as if floating. These experiences may be experienced simultaneously to the panic 'energies' described above.
