Cassandra has recently had several short but highly intense experiences in which physical anxiety suddenly overwhelms her, making her feel as if she is having a heart attack. Her symptoms are most consistent with ____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Cassandra's symptoms of sudden intense physical anxiety and feeling like she is having a heart attack are most consistent with panic disorder, which is characterized by recurrent panic attacks. Generalized anxiety disorder may involve excessive worry and fear about various aspects of life, but panic attacks are not a defining feature. Bipolar disorder involves mood swings, including episodes of mania and depression, but does not typically cause panic attacks. Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder that involves delusions, hallucinations, and disordered thinking, but not panic attacks.

Cassandra Has Recently Had Several Short but Highly Intense Experiences