Which term best describes an extreme anxiety that manifests in the form of panic attacks?

• A. Anxiety
• B. Phobia
• C. PTSD
• D. Panic Disorder

Answer: (D)

Panic attacks are sudden, overwhelming surges of fear that come with physical symptoms like a racing heart, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, and dizziness. When these intense episodes occur repeatedly and lead to ongoing worry about having more attacks or to changes in behavior to avoid them, the condition is called Panic Disorder.

Anxiety, in general, is a broader, milder state of worry rather than discrete, recurrent attacks. A phobia is an intense fear of a specific object or situation. PTSD involves distressing memories and avoidance after a traumatic event. So the pattern of repeated panic episodes with persistent concern fits Panic Disorder.