Darcy is sitting at her desk in her office one day when she is, without warning, overcome by feelings of intense fear, losing control of herself. Her terror is so great that all she can do is sit at her desk shaking and crying. Nothing she was doing at the time would seem to have caused such an episode. Her symptoms most resemble ________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Darcy's sudden onset of intense fear, shaking, and crying are characteristic symptoms of a panic attack, which can come on suddenly without an obvious trigger. Phobic disorder involves intense, irrational fears of a specific object, situation, or activity, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by re-experiencing traumatic events, avoidance behaviors, and hypervigilance. Affective disorders, also known as mood disorders, involve persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and/or irritability.

Darcy Is Sitting at Her Desk in Her Office One