Panic Disorder Agoraphobia - Essay Example

The disorder is developed by an individual after he/she has already experienced more than one panic attacks. These attacks are sudden and can take place at any moment and the individual experiencing this attack fails to identify the situations and the scenarios that lead to these attacks. The uncertainty of the attack taking place makes an individual expect that he/she may experience an attack which makes that individual afraid of any situation or place that may trigger an attack. People suffering from this disorder become really afraid of leaving their protective boundaries such as home and even if they leave these boundaries, they always want somebody they trust to accompany them (Tyrer, 2008, p.553). Prevalence According to the Stein, those individuals who first experience panic disorders and then experience Agoraphobia and experienced the condition throughout their lives totaled to 22.5% to 58.2% (Stein, 2010, p.371). The book even states that the people who suffer panic disorders are 20 times more likely to experience agoraphobia than those individuals who do not.

The study conducted by NIMH on 15000 individuals, showed that those individuals who do not suffer from panic disorder and develop agoraphobia totaled to 5.6% and 1.6% were those who develop this disorder due to panic attacks (Stein, 2010, p.371). . Individuals who have previously suffered from panic attacks face the potential risk of developing this disorder. Individuals who are already suffering from this disposition are at a higher risk of ending up developing panic attacks and other psychological disorders such as social anxiety and general anxiety disorder.

In order to prevent an individual from developing agoraphobia, an individual suffering from panic disorders should be treated. Medical assistance should be obtained by those who avoid situations and places. Children of those individuals who are already suffering from this disease have higher probability of developing this disease. If such children are identified at an early age, then prevention techniques may be applied (Tyrer, 2008, p.543). Impact on Workplace Performance Individuals suffering from this disorder try to avoid places and situations that may result in panic attacks.

These individuals might resist while taking up new challenges and may be an obstacle in implementing change as new challenges and change can result in high level of stress. These individuals may refrain from working with new individuals and may prefer only working with individuals they already know. They may avoid places where there are too many people around, thus they may avoid organizational meetings and organization’s social gatherings. Unemployment is a stressful situation that may lead to panic attacks, due to the fear of getting unemployed and experiencing panic attacks, an agoraphobia individual might try to avoid getting laid off by working hard.

Treatment Agoraphobia can not only be prevented, it can even be treated and an individual may become