In 1959, research psychiatrist Donald F. Klein was studying imipramine, a new drug synthesized by a minor alteration in the chemical structure of the “major tranquilizer” chlorpromazine. Researchers hoped that imipramine, like chlorpromazine, would help people with schizophrenia, whose psychotic symptoms were at that time believed to result from excessive anxiety. Unfortunately, imipramine did not stop delusions or hallucinations, but it did alleviate depressive symptoms in schizophrenic patients, and its mood-improving effects were notably dramatic in patients suffering from severe depression.
As evidence for the antidepressant effects accumulated, Klein and his associates struggled to treat a group of highly anxious inpatients who had been …show more content…
Before taking imipramine, these patients had been rushing to the nursing station several times a day, terrified, and exclaiming that they were dying. The nurses would reassure them that they were not dying, and their terror would pass after about 20 minutes or so. Despite their claims of lack of improvement, patients were no longer experiencing these terrifying episodes of suddenly feeling on the brink of death. Also, once their sudden, unpredictable episodes of terror (i.e., panic attacks) had ceased, patients became increasingly comfortable, moving freely throughout the hospital unaccompanied by others. Klein came to the conclusion that imipramine was effective against acute panic attacks, but not against chronic …show more content…
Preston, O'neal, and Talaga (2010, p. 104) define panic disorder as "recurring intense panic attacks that are many times spontaneous and not provoked by identifiable stressors". When having a panic attack the individual may feel palpitations, perspiration, trembling, and shortness of breath, sense of suffocation, chest pain, nausea and dizziness. With panic disorder it is very common for the individual to begin and have symptoms of mild or moderate generalized anxiety. Their concern and stress of constantly thinking of when another attack will happen leads them to those symptoms. Many of these individuals can also become agoraphobic because of the concern of a sudden panic attack just happening and then not being in a place they consider comfortable. Depression can be seen in these individuals as well because of the isolation they feel and can also be at risk for beginning to drink to help soothe themselves. Panic attacks can be infrequent, happening a couple of times a month, or can be severe and occur several times a day. Panic disorder is characterized by the spontaneous and unexpected occurrence of panic attacks, the frequency of which can vary from several attacks per day to only a few attacks per year. Panic attacks are defined as a period of intense fear in which 4 of 13 defined symptoms develop abruptly and peak rapidly less than 10 minutes from
As evidence for the antidepressant effects accumulated, Klein and his associates struggled to treat a group of highly anxious inpatients who had been …show more content…
Before taking imipramine, these patients had been rushing to the nursing station several times a day, terrified, and exclaiming that they were dying. The nurses would reassure them that they were not dying, and their terror would pass after about 20 minutes or so. Despite their claims of lack of improvement, patients were no longer experiencing these terrifying episodes of suddenly feeling on the brink of death. Also, once their sudden, unpredictable episodes of terror (i.e., panic attacks) had ceased, patients became increasingly comfortable, moving freely throughout the hospital unaccompanied by others. Klein came to the conclusion that imipramine was effective against acute panic attacks, but not against chronic …show more content…
Preston, O'neal, and Talaga (2010, p. 104) define panic disorder as "recurring intense panic attacks that are many times spontaneous and not provoked by identifiable stressors". When having a panic attack the individual may feel palpitations, perspiration, trembling, and shortness of breath, sense of suffocation, chest pain, nausea and dizziness. With panic disorder it is very common for the individual to begin and have symptoms of mild or moderate generalized anxiety. Their concern and stress of constantly thinking of when another attack will happen leads them to those symptoms. Many of these individuals can also become agoraphobic because of the concern of a sudden panic attack just happening and then not being in a place they consider comfortable. Depression can be seen in these individuals as well because of the isolation they feel and can also be at risk for beginning to drink to help soothe themselves. Panic attacks can be infrequent, happening a couple of times a month, or can be severe and occur several times a day. Panic disorder is characterized by the spontaneous and unexpected occurrence of panic attacks, the frequency of which can vary from several attacks per day to only a few attacks per year. Panic attacks are defined as a period of intense fear in which 4 of 13 defined symptoms develop abruptly and peak rapidly less than 10 minutes from