Therapy

Panic disorder is a remediable psychological disease. It can be stated with confidence that a high quality psychological intervention may produce a complete removal of the problem. Many patients indeed attain a desired psychological status at the end of treatment. However, a number of patients fail to absorb the full potential of the therapeutic intervention offered to them. Some progress to develop chronic panic disorder, with an alternation between symptomatic and asymptomatic periods in their lives. Therefore, they permanently situate themselves within the area of reduced psychosocial functioning. Based on the double standard of the therapeutic response to treatments of panic disorder, it is of paramount importance for consumers of psychological services to become aware of the risk factors that differentiate between long-lasting and time-limited effectiveness. Psychological interventions for panic disorder can produce lasting therapeutic results, only when patients are comprehensively advised on and wholeheartedly participate in therapeutic action that timely prevents relapse and, perhaps more importantly, adequately protects against chronic subclinical psychological functioning.