NURS 6501: Final Exam Question 38 / NURS-6501N Advanced Pathophysiology
  NURS 6501: Final Exam: Please contact Assignment Samurai for help with NURS 6501: Final Exam or any other assignment. Email: assignmentsamurai@gmail.com   In a patient with panic disorder, which of the following symptoms severely restricts a person's ability to function and carry out daily activities, often leading to a significant decline in the quality of life?
  • Frequent episodes of intense fear occurring only in social situations
  • Avoidance of situations that cause panic or where panic might be expected to occur
  • Excessive anxiety and worry occurring more days than not for at least 6 months
  • Recurrent panic attacks that are exclusively triggered by exposure to specific phobic objects or situations
  The correct answer is: Avoidance of situations that cause panic or where panic might be expected to occur   Explanation: In panic disorder, the most disabling feature is phobic avoidance (agoraphobia or situational avoidance), which severely impairs daily functioning. Key Features:
  1. Avoidance Behavior:
    • Patients avoid places/situations where panic attacks occurred (e.g., crowds, public transport) due to fear of being trapped or helpless.
    • This leads to social isolation, job loss, or inability to leave home.
  2. Panic Attacks:
    • Recurrent, unexpected episodes of intense fear (peaking within minutes) with physical symptoms (e.g., palpitations, sweating, derealization).
    • Attacks are not exclusively triggered by phobic objects (that would indicate a specific phobia).
Why Not the Others?
  • "Frequent fear only in social situations": Suggests social anxiety disorder, not panic disorder.
  • "Excessive anxiety for ≥6 months": Fits generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), not panic disorder.
  • "Panic attacks triggered by phobic objects": Describes specific phobia, not panic disorder (which involves unexpected attacks).
Clinical Impact: Avoidance perpetuates the cycle of fear, making cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and SSRIs/SNRIs critical for recovery. Thus, avoidance behavior is the most disabling aspect of panic disorder.