HELLO, I'M WILLARD SCOTT.
USUALLY WHEN I APPEAR IN FRONT OF A CAMERA,
IT'S TO GIVE THE WEATHER REPORT OR DELIVER BIRTHDAY GREETINGS TO
ONE OF OUR MOST SENIOR CITIZENS.
TODAY I'M HERE FOR A VERY DIFFERENT REASON.
YOU SEE, ABOUT THIRTY YEARS AGO,
DRIVING ACROSS A BRIDGE IN SOUTH CAROLINA,
I HAD AN EXPERIENCE WHICH HAD AN ENORMOUS IMPACT ON MY LIFE.
I WAS A RELATIVELY YOUNG MAN,
I HAD A GREAT JOB, A DEVOTED FAMILY,
AND I WAS IN GOOD PHYSICAL HEALTH.
BUT SUDDENLY, DRIVING OVER THAT BRIDGE,
I WAS FILLED WITH TERROR,
CONVINCED I WAS HAVING A HEART ATTACK.
IT WASN'T THE FIRST TIME THIS HAD HAPPENED TO ME,
BUT THIS TIME I KNEW THAT SOMETHING
POWERFUL WAS GOING ON.
SHORTLY AFTER THAT, I LEARNED I WAS HAVING
PANIC ATTACKS, AND THAT I WAS SUFFERING FROM PANIC DISORDER.
I ALSO FOUND THE HELP I NEEDED,
AND I'VE LEARNED TO MANAGE PANIC ATTACKS
SO THEY DON'T INTERFERE WITH MY LIFE.
I'VE ALSO LEARNED THAT MILLIONS OF OTHER PEOPLE
SUFFER FROM PANIC DISORDER.
LIKE ME ON THAT BRIDGE ALMOST THIRTY YEARS AGO, MANY OF THEM
KNOW THAT SOMETHING IS TERRIBLY WRONG,
BUT THEY DON'T KNOW QUITE WHAT IT IS.
THREE PEOPLE WITH PANIC DISORDER APPEAR
IN THIS VIDEO TO TELL THEIR STORIES.
IF THEIR STORIES SOUND FAMILIAR TO YOU, IF MY STORY HAS SOUNDED
FAMILIAR TO YOU, WATCH CAREFULLY BECAUSE WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO
SEE ARE, ABOVE ALL, STORIES OF HOPE.
>> NARRATOR: WHEN CHUCK JACKSON GOES TO CHURCH EACH SUNDAY IN
THE INDIANA TOWN WHERE HE LIVES, HE NO LONGER SITS IN THE BACK
ROW SO THAT HE CAN ESCAPE WITHOUT NOTICE.
LAURA SCHY CAN NOW MAKE THE TRIP FROM HER LOS ANGELES HOME
TO VISIT HER INFANT NIECE IN BURBANK,
AND FROM HER NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE BRONX, TAMMY HOLLAND
CAN ONCE AGAIN CONFIDENTLY TAKE A CROWDED BUS TO WORK.
LAURA, AND CHUCK, AND TAMMY HAVE NEVER MET,
BUT EACH VIVIDLY REMEMBERS THAT FIRST
CONFRONTATION WITH THEIR SHARED ENEMY.
>> IT WAS AT HOME, LATE IN THE EVENING,
IN WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A RELAXED SITUATION
>> CLOSE TO MY HOME, AND JUST OUT OF THE BLUE.
>> THE LAND WAS COMPLETELY FLAT WITH NO TREES AND NO SHADE.
IT SEEMED TO ME, I GOT THIS FEELING THAT THE
WHOLE WORLD WAS CLOSING IN ON ME.
>> I STARTED HAVING PALPITATIONS.
I STARTED SWEATING AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS I THOUGHT I WAS
ACTUALLY HAVING A HEART ATTACK.
>> I COULDN'T GET MY BREATH.
I FELT LIKE I COULD GET A HEART ATTACK.
I STARTED TO GET NAUSEATED.
>> AND IT STARTS TO ESCALATE AND I GET LIGHTHEADED
AND JUST LIKE, I'M GONNA DIE.
>> AND THEN I GOT REALLY, REALLY SCARED.
I DON'T REMEMBER EVER BEING THAT SCARED BEFORE.
>> NARRATOR: THESE EPISODES, PANIC ATTACKS,
WERE FRIGHTENING ENOUGH.
BUT AS THE ATTACKS CONTINUED, IT WAS WHAT HAPPENED NEXT THAT
HAD THE MOST PROFOUND IMPACT ON THESE PEOPLE'S LIVES.
>> EVERY TIME IT WOULD OCCUR IN A SITUATION, THAT WOULD BE THE
NEXT THING I WOULD AVOID.
>> NARRATOR: AVOIDANCE BEHAVIOR IS THE MOST DISABLING SYMPTOM
OF PANIC DISORDER.
PSYCHIATRIST DR. FREDA LEWIS-HALL EXPLAINS.
>> PANIC DISORDER CAN CAUSE FROM VERY LIMITED IMPAIRMENT TO VERY,
VERY SEVERE IMPAIRMENT.
MUCH OF THE IMPAIRMENT COMES NOT FROM THE PANIC ATTACKS
THEMSELVES, BUT WHAT HAPPENS BETWEEN ATTACKS,
IF THEY HAD A PANIC ATTACK ON THE BUS,
THEY STOP RIDING THE BUS.
IF THEY HAVE ONE IN A GROCERY STORE,
THEY STOP GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE.
AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, THEIR WORLD BECOMES SMALLER
AND SMALLER AND SMALLER.
>> AS LONG AS I AVOID, I'M BASICALLY I'M OK.
BUT MY RADIUS IS SO SMALL.
I MEAN I'M HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL IN A VERY SMALL AREA.
>> NARRATOR: LAURA SCHY IS HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL.
A SINGLE PARENT, SHE SUPPORTS HERSELF AND HER
NINE-YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, LISA, IRONICALLY, AS A TRAVEL AGENT.
PLANNING A ROUND-THE-WORLD TRIP FOR A CLIENT IS EASY.
BUT GETTING HERSELF AROUND TOWN REQUIRES EXTRAORDINARY PLANNING.
SHE LAYS OUT HER ROUTE IN TEDIOUS DETAIL TO KEEP HERSELF
FEELING SAFE, FREE FROM ANY SITUATION THAT SHE THINKS
MIGHT TRIGGER A PANIC ATTACK.
BECAUSE THE PROSPECT OF A PANIC ATTACK IS SO TERRIFYING, AND THE
SENSE OF DANGER DURING AN ATTACK IS SO REAL, SHE MAKES SURE SHE
KNOWS WHERE TO FIND EMERGENCY SERVICES ALONG HER ROUTE.
>> I'LL GO THROUGH MY ROAD MAPS AND LOOK AT THE ROUTES
THAT I'M MOST LIKELY TO TAKE.
I WILL FIND EVERY FIRESTATION, BECAUSE THEY ARE LABELED,
AND I HIGHLIGHT THEM.
>> NARRATOR: DR. JACK GORMAN, A SPECIALIST IN TREATING
PANIC DISORDER, EXPLAINS THAT THIS EFFORT TO STAY IN SAFE
PLACES IS TYPICAL.
>> AS PEOPLE CONTINUE TO HAVE THEIR PANIC ATTACKS, IF THEY'RE
NOT TREATED, SOME PEOPLE BECOME AFRAID TO GO PLACES WHERE THEY
MIGHT HAVE A PANIC ATTACK AND IN WHICH THEY FEAR THEY CAN'T
GET HELP RIGHT AWAY.
>> LAURA SUFFERS FROM THE LIMITS PANIC DISORDER PLACES ON HER
LIFE AND SHE ALSO WORRIES ABOUT THE EFFECT HER PANIC
DISORDER WILL HAVE ON LISA.
>> I FEEL BAD WHEN SHE'S FRIGHTENED.
I FEEL BAD WHEN I KNOW SHE'S FEELING LIKE SHE WANTS TO TAKE
CARE OF MOMMY, IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THAT WAY.
MOMMIES ARE SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF LITTLE GIRLS.
>> NARRATOR: LAURA WORRIES ABOUT LISA FOR ANOTHER REASON.
EXPERTS SAY THAT PANIC DISORDER RUNS IN FAMILIES.
LAURA RECALLS FEELINGS OF PANIC WHEN SHE WAS HER DAUGHTER'S AGE.
>> I NEVER LIKED AMUSEMENT PARK RIDES.
I DIDN'T LIKE ANYTHING UPSETTING AT ALL, MOTION,
AS A CHILD, THE TEACUPS AT DISNEYLAND, YOU SPIN.
IF I THINK BACK NOW, I HAD A PANIC ATTACK.
>> NARRATOR: THIS MAY LOOK LIKE CHILD'S PLAY, BUT IT'S PART
OF A TREATMENT, CALLED COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY.
IT'S CAREFULLY DESIGNED TO HELP LAURA TAME THE DEMONS
THAT HAVE PLAGUED HER SINCE SHE WAS A LITTLE GIRL.
>> REALLY FOCUS ON THE SENSATIONS.
>> NARRATOR: DR. MICHELLE CRASKE MEETS WITH LAURA WEEKLY AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES.
TOGETHER, THEY ARE TRYING TO EVOKE IN LAURA THE SENSATIONS,
DIZZINESS, OR SHORTNESS OF BREATH, THAT ARE THE
HALLMARKS OF HER PANIC ATTACKS.
>> ALL RIGHT NOW, STOP.
WHAT ARE YOU FEELING?
SEE IF YOU CAN MOVE AWAY FROM THE TABLE.
JUST WALK AROUND.
LET YOURSELF FEEL THAT WEAK, DIZZY FEELING.
KEEP MOVING.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, IF I HAD DONE THIS SOMEPLACE ELSE,
I WOULDN'T BE TOO HAPPY RIGHT NOW.
>> BECAUSE THE SAFETY OF THE ENVIRONMENT HELPS YOU.
>> COGNITIVE THERAPY, WHICH WAS REALLY INTRODUCED
FAIRLY RECENTLY, TRIES TO TARGET THE NEGATIVE THOUGHTS,
THE NEGATIVE IMAGES, THAT GO THROUGH THE PERSON'S MIND,
THAT IRRATIONAL QUALITY TO FEAR.
>> NARRATOR: EXPERTS POINTS OUT THAT TREATMENT FOR PANIC
DISORDER INVOLVES MEDICATION, OR COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY,
OR BOTH.
>> I'D LIKE YOU TO SPEND A COUPLE OF MINUTES,
WE'LL JUST LEAN AGAINST THE WALL HERE
AND PRACTICE DOING SOME OF THE SLOW BREATHING.
>> NARRATOR: WORKING WITH DR. CRASKE, LAURA PUTS HER
NEW SKILLS TO THE TEST, RECLAIMING TERRITORY THAT SHE
HAD LOST TO PANIC DISORDER.
EXPOSURE TRAINING, CONFRONTING SITUATIONS THAT SHE HAS AVOIDED
FOR SO LONG, IS AN ELEMENT OF LAURA'S THERAPY.
>> WATCH THE DOORS OPEN.
>> I'M NERVOUS, A LUMP.
>> GOOD, YOU'RE NOT LOOKING AT THE LIGHT.
>> I'M DELIBERATELY NOT, IS IT MOVING?
>> NARRATOR: LAURA CONTINUES HER THERAPY TO MANAGE HER FEAR,
SHE ALSO TAKES MEDICATION TO KEEP HER PANIC ATTACKS AT BAY.
IF THE ROAD BACK FOR LAURA SEEMS TEDIOUS,
SHE REMINDS US THAT TO HER IT'S FILLED WITH VICTORIES.
>> THERE WAS A TIME WHEN GETTING TO WORK WAS A
BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR ME.
I WAS HAVING PANIC ATTACKS GOING BETWEEN HERE AND MY OFFICE,
THREE MILES AWAY.
IT'S A BIGGER EFFORT, WHAT DID I JUST READ RECENTLY,
THAT THE TEST OF SUCCESS IN ONE'S LIFE IS NOT WHAT YOU
ACHIEVED, BUT THE OBSTACLES YOU OVERCAME TO ACHIEVE IT.
AND I DO IT EVERY DAY.
>> THAT'S GOOD! GOTTA KEEP DOIN' IT.
>> NARRATOR: CHUCK JACKSON IS ALSO DOING THINGS THESE DAYS
THAT HE HASN'T DONE IN YEARS.
CHUCK AND HIS WIFE KAREN LIVE IN THIS FRAME HOUSE THEY DESIGNED
AND BUILT FOR THEMSELVES IN THE GREEN INDIANA COUNTRYSIDE.
THEY HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR ALMOST THIRTY YEARS.
SHORTLY AFTER THEY WED, CHUCK SERVED A TOUR OF DUTY
IN VIETNAM.
HE SAYS NOTHING HE SAW IN SOUTHEAST ASIA INSPIRED THE
SAME TERROR HE FELT DURING HIS FIRST PANIC ATTACK ON A
HOT SUMMER DAY NEAR KOKOMO.
CHUCK STILL HAS THE CAR HE WAS DRIVING WHEN HE HAD
THAT FIRST PANIC ATTACK, AND ON A SUNNY DAY,
HE WILL TAKE IT FOR A DRIVE.
BUT FOR YEARS, TO AVOID THE HEAT HE THOUGHT
MIGHT TRIGGER AN ATTACK, HE LEFT HOME ONLY TO GO TO WORK.
>> WHEN I WASN'T WORKING I WAS SPENDING MY DAYS IN
THE BASEMENT WHERE IT WAS COOL.
HEAT WAS A TERRIBLE THING, AND IN SOUTHERN INDIANA WITH
THE HUMIDITY I DIDN'T WANT TO GO OUTSIDE AT ALL.
>> NARRATOR: AS THE FEAR OF PANIC ATTACKS BEGAN TO
RESHAPE HIS LIFE, EVEN THE FAMILIAR THREE-HOUR DRIVE
TO HIS PARENTS' HOME FOR THANKSGIVING DINNER
WAS TOO TERRIFYING TO COMPLETE.
>> I SAID, "I CAN MAKE IT."
WE TURNED AROUND AGAIN.
AND THIS TIME WE MADE TEN MILES AND I COULDN'T MAKE IT SO I HAD
TO GO BACK AND CALL MY PARENTS AND TELL THEM THAT WE WEREN'T
GOING TO MAKE IT, COULDN'T MAKE IT TO THANKSGIVING.
>> WE WOULD GO A WAYS AND THEN WE'D TURN BACK.
THEN WE'D GO A WAYS AND TURN BACK.
I THINK IT WAS MORE THAN TWICE.
I THINK IT WAS MAYBE THREE, FOUR, FIVE TIMES WE TRIED IT,
YOU KNOW, AND GETTING MORE UPSET EACH TIME.
AND OF COURSE NOTHING PREPARED AT HOME SO WE HAD A
DISMAL THANKSGIVING DINNER IN A RESTAURANT WHILE THE WHOLE
FAMILY WAS ONE HUNDRED FIFTY MILES NORTH OF US.
>> NARRATOR: CHUCK REPEATEDLY SOUGHT HELP.
WITH APPROPRIATE MEDICATION, HE WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE WORKING
AND SUPPORT HIS FAMILY.
BUT HE STILL AVOIDED ANY PLACE HE THOUGHT MIGHT
TRIGGER AN ATTACK, AND HIS PHOBIAS,
AS MUCH AS THE ATTACKS THEMSELVES, DIMINISHED HIS LIFE.
>> WE'RE PRETTY SURE THAT IF YOU LET THAT GO ON,
IT GETS HARDER AND HARDER TO TREAT, THAT IS,
THAT PEOPLE BECOME SO ACCUSTOMED TO THESE PHOBIAS THAT EVEN IF
YOU CAN BLOCK THEIR PANIC ATTACKS, THE PHOBIAS MAY GET
A LIFE OF THEIR OWN, AND THE PERSON MAY CONTINUE TO
HAVE A HARD TIME GOING PLACES.
>> NARRATOR: FOR ALMOST TWO DECADES, CHUCK NEVER LEFT
THE STATE OF INDIANA.
AND, WHILE THEIR TWO CHILDREN, JENNY AND ADAM, GREW FROM BABIES
TO TEENAGERS TO YOUNG ADULTS, CHUCK AND KAREN FELT CHEATED BY
THE LIMITS THAT PANIC DISORDER IMPOSED ON THEIR FAMILY LIFE.
>> THERE WAS A LOT OF GUILTY FEELING ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE
TO TAKE OUR CHILDREN ON TRIPS THE WAY OTHER FAMILIES DID.
OTHER KIDS WOULD GO TO DISNEY WORLD
AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND WE COULDN'T DO THAT.
>> I WAS AFRAID I'D BE LIVING THIS WAY ALL MY LIFE
BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO.
I WANTED TO FIND RELIEF.
>> NARRATOR: FOUR YEARS AGO, KAREN JACKSON LEARNED ABOUT
A NEARBY PSYCHOLOGIST WHO WAS TREATING PEOPLE
WITH CHUCK'S SYMPTOMS.
>> HE GAVE US SOME TOOLS AND HE SHOWED US HOW TO DO
IN VIVO TRAINING WHERE YOU WENT INTO A SITUATION JUST A
LITTLE BIT AND THEN PULL BACK, AND THEN A LITTLE BIT FARTHER
AND PULL BACK.
>> NARRATOR: WITH THE HELP OF THE TRAINING AND CONTINUED
MEDICATION, CHUCK'S WORLD BEGAN TO EXPAND.
HIS BIGGEST CHALLENGE CAME WHEN HIS DAUGHTER
JENNY DECIDED TO GO TO COLLEGE IN PENNSYLVANIA.
CHUCK DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL THE SUNDAY MORNING SHE LEFT,
IF HE WOULD TRY TO MAKE THE DRIVE WITH HER AND KAREN.
>> I WENT TO CHURCH BY MYSELF AND I HALFWAY HOPED THAT THEY
WOULD BE GONE WHEN I GOT HOME.
I HALF-WAY HOPED, AND THEY WEREN'T.
SO I CLIMBED IN AND I KEPT THINKING, EVERY PLACE WE WENT,
WELL, LET'S SEE, I CAN STOP AND STAY HERE UNTIL THEY GET BACK.
I CAN STOP AND STAY HERE.
AND THEN WE GOT INTO OHIO AND I WAS IN THE BACK WITH MY
EARPHONES AND THE CURTAINS PULLED IN THE VAN AND WE GOT
INTO OHIO AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I STARTED FEELING, I'VE MADE IT.
I'VE MADE IT THIS FAR.
MAYBE I CAN MAKE IT FARTHER.
AND AFTER THAT, THE TRIP JUST WAS A DREAM.
>> NARRATOR: CHUCK IS NO LONGER IN THERAPY.
HE STILL TAKES MEDICATION TO CONTROL HIS FEAR OF HAVING
A PANIC ATTACK.
AND HE SAYS EVERY DAY HE WORKS A LITTLE AT COMPLETELY
TAMING HIS PANIC DISORDER.
THIS MORNING IN CHURCH, FOR INSTANCE, HE SAT ONLY
SEVEN ROWS FROM THE FRONT, CLOSER THAN EVER BEFORE.
>> ANOTHER THING THAT WE DID TODAY THAT I HAVEN'T DONE IN
YEARS AND THAT WAS SIT ON THE AISLE.
I ALWAYS SIT ON THE FAR SIDE BY THE WINDOW BY THE SIDE AISLE
SO I WON'T MAKE A STIR IF I HAVE TO GET UP AND LEAVE.
SO TODAY WAS A GOOD TEST FOR ME.
>> NARRATOR: CHUCK MEASURES HIS PROGRESS IN WHAT MAY LOOK
LIKE SMALL STEPS, EVEN AS SMALL AS THE DISTANCE BETWEEN PEWS IN
A COUNTRY CHURCH, BUT TO CHUCK, THOSE SMALL STEPS ADD UP TO A
WORLD WITHOUT BOUNDARIES.
>> I GOT MY LIFE BACK, YES.
THE FACT THAT I'M FREE TO TRAVEL,
THAT I'M FREE TO GO WHEREVER I WANT TO.
IT'S LIKE BEING BORN AGAIN.
>> NARRATOR: TAMMY HOLLAND LIVES A WORLD AWAY FROM
CHUCK JACKSON, BUT SHE SOUNDS REMARKABLY LIKE HIM WHEN SHE
TALKS ABOUT HER VICTORY OVER PANIC DISORDER.
>> I FELT LIKE I HAD REGAINED MY LIFE.
MY LIFE WAS UNDER CONTROL AGAIN.
AND IT WAS MINE.
>> NARRATOR: TAMMY AND WALTER COBBS LIVE IN THE SOUTH BRONX.
>> HEY WALTER. IT'S STOPPED SNOWING.
WHY DON'T WE GO OUT, GO FOR A WALK?
>> NARRATOR: NOT TOO LONG AGO, A WALK IN THE PARK AWAY FROM THE
SECURITY OF HOME, HER SAFE PLACE,
WOULD HAVE BEEN FULL OF HIDDEN TERROR.
>> LISTEN TO THE TREES.
>> NARRATOR: TAMMY HAD HER FIRST PANIC ATTACK ONLY
FOUR YEARS AGO, WHEN SHE WAS TWENTY-NINE.
>> IT SEEMED AS IF I WAS HAVING A HEART ATTACK.
AT THAT MOMENT, I BECAME KIND OF FRANTIC
AND I COULDN'T CALM DOWN.
I COULDN'T CALM DOWN AT ALL.
AND IT GOT TOTALLY BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION TO THE POINT
WHERE I THOUGHT I WAS DYING.
>> NARRATOR: WALTER CALLED AN AMBULANCE AND WENT WITH TAMMY
TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL.
>> THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH ME.
THEY TOLD ME JUST TO CALM DOWN AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING
WRONG WITH ME.
AND THAT MADE ME A LITTLE MORE UPSET BECAUSE THERE WAS
SOMETHING THAT I KNEW WAS WRONG WITH ME,
I WAS HAVING PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS, AND I COULDN'T ACCEPT WHAT THEY
WERE TELLING ME, YOU KNOW, THAT ALL I HAD TO DO WAS CALM DOWN.
THAT MAYBE I WAS STRESSED OUT, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEY JUST SENT ME HOME.
THEY JUST SENT ME HOME.
>> NARRATOR: TAMMY WITHDREW INTO HER APARTMENT, SEEING IT AS
THE ONLY SAFE PLACE IN THE WORLD.
LIKE CHUCK JACKSON, TAMMY FELT HER LIFE SHRINK
INTO A MONOTONOUS ROUND OF HOME AND WORK.
>> I WAS AT MY WIT'S END WITH EVERYONE TELLING ME,
"THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU."
>> NARRATOR: FINALLY, TAMMY FOUND DR. JACK GORMAN.
HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS WRONG WITH HER AND HOW TO HELP.
>> WHEN HE EXPLAINED TO ME WHAT THE COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY
WAS GOING TO DO FOR ME AND WHAT KIND OF EXERCISES WE WERE GOING
TO GO THROUGH AND THINGS LIKE THAT, I STARTED CRYING BECAUSE
I WAS JUST SO HAPPY THAT I FINALLY GOT TO THE POINT WHERE
I SAID, "HEY THIS IS IT.
THIS IS WHERE I NEED TO BE, THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS A SPECIFIC NAME FOR IT."
>> NARRATOR: TAMMY CONTINUED ON THE MEDICATION
SHE HAD BEEN TAKING, AND BEGAN COGNITIVE
BEHAVIORAL THERAPY WITH DR. GORMAN.
HER LIFE TURNED AROUND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.
EXPERTS SAY THAT IT CAN TAKE SOME TIME TO FIND THE RIGHT
TREATMENT, MEDICATION, OR THERAPY, OR A COMBINATION.
TAMMY'S MESSAGE, AND DR. GORMAN'S,
KEEP TRYING UNTIL THE RIGHT TREATMENT IS FOUND.
>> THE FIRST STEP IS TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE WITH A DOCTOR
OR A THERAPIST WHO IS OPEN-MINDED AND DOESN'T SAY,
"I DON'T BELIEVE IN MEDICATION,"
OR "I DON'T BELIEVE IN PSYCHOTHERAPY."
THESE ARE NOT RELIGIONS AND ARE NOT SUBJECT TO BELIEF, THEY'RE
SUBJECT TO SCIENTIFIC STUDIES AND ALSO TO WHAT
WORKS FOR AN INDIVIDUAL PATIENT.
>> THERE'S NO REASON, I FEEL, THAT ANYONE SHOULD
HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THAT.
THERE'S HELP OUT THERE.
WHETHER IT'S PSYCHOTHERAPY, WHETHER IT'S MEDICATION,
WHETHER IT'S COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY,
THERE'S DEFINITELY HELP OUT THERE.
AND THEY SHOULDN'T FEEL HOPELESS.
THEY SHOULDN'T FEEL HOPELESS AT ALL.
>> IF YOU RECOGNIZED YOURSELF, OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW, IN ANY OF
THE PEOPLE WE HAVE JUST SEEN, OR, IF YOU, OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW,
HAS EXPERIENCED SYMPTOMS LIKE THEIRS, CALL THIS NUMBER:
YOU'LL RECEIVE INFORMATION ABOUT TREATMENTS THAT CAN HELP.
PANIC DISORDER IS REAL, AND TREATABLE.
CAPTIONED BY GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF TELEVISION FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHY