Case #7

Case Study 7: A 35-year-old clothing salesman was showing a particularly fussy customer a suit 2 months ago and suddenly began to sweat profusely. His heart started to pound, he felt dizzy, and became fearful that he was about to die. The customer didn’t notice his condition and continued to question him about the suit in minute detail. The patient, feeling faint, abruptly left the customer and went to lie down in the back of the store. The customer became insulted, complained to the manager, and left. When the manager found the patient he was slumped in a chair in the back room trembling. Approximately 10 minutes later the patient’s symptoms began to subside. He saw his physician the next day who found no evidence of any medical problems. Two weeks later, he had another similar unexpected attack. Since that time he has worried continuously about having another attack. His friends and colleagues have noticed that he is no longer as spontaneous and outgoing as he had been in the past.

I would say that this salesman as one who has a Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia. He had to have at least four symptoms of the panic disorder. His were: sweating profusely, accelerated heart beat, dizziness or faintness, trembling, and a fear of dying. He also worried that these attacks would come back, and they did. Then after all of this, his friends noticed a significant change in his behavior, and the physician who looked at him didn't find any physiological effects or other mental disorders that could have brought this condition upon this man.

To fix this disorder I would suggest that he go to cognitive and behavioral therapy. The first therapy will help him get back to the positive, spontaneous and outgoing way he thought before the attacks took hold. This may also help him to identify what brought on this condition and over time the triggers for these attacks of his will stop working quite so well. Behavioral therapy could also help to keep him relaxed as he goes through his attacks. Also, on the sidelines, a support group could always be there to encourage him to stay positive and relaxed so that the attacks can pass from him.