Free Photonovela on Panic Disorder

National Institute of Mental Health

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National Institute of Mental Health

Free Photonovela on Panic Disorder Available Through Toll-Free Number

Washington, D.C., March 1997—You’re at home watching your favorite show on TV, when out of nowhere your heart races, your chest hurts and you feel like you are going to die. You rush to the emergency room, terrified you’re having a heart attack. You’re relieved when the doctor says you’re fine but it happens again and again. Three to six million people in the United States who have panic disorder experience unexpected and recurring panic attacks like these. To raise awareness among Hispanics about how to recognize and get treatment for this serious and, often, debilitating illness, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is distributing a Spanish-language photonovela on panic disorder.

The free publication, available by calling NIMH’s toll-free number, 1-800-64-PANICO, tells the story of Monica, a young woman who struggles with panic disorder symptoms and, ultimately, finds effective treatment. Like Monica, people who have panic disorder experience sudden episodes of extreme terror, or panic attacks, that are marked by symptoms including a racing or pounding heartbeat, chest pains, difficulty breathing or dizziness, accompanied by a fear of dying. Because panic disorder symptoms often mimic those of other illnesses, many people with panic disorder may visit up to ten physicians before being properly diagnosed and treated.

Without treatment, panic disorder can be extremely detrimental to a person’s work, social and family relationships. In fact, one-third of people who suffer from panic Panic Disorder develop agoraphobia—a condition where a person can become housebound as they avoid situations and places for fear of having another panic attack. People with panic disorder may also turn to alcohol and drugs in unsuccessful attempts to cope with the physical discomfort and frightening symptoms. Many develop depression.

“Panic disorder affects millions of people each year, and NIMH wants to ensure that people receive information to help them recognize that this is a real illness that can be effectively treated,” said Elaine Baldwin, who heads the NIMH Anxiety Disorders Education Program, a national campaign to raise awareness about panic disorder and other related anxiety disorders.

The illustrated photonovela is just one component of an ongoing effort by NIMH to provide information on mental health and mental illness to the Hispanic community. NIMH has produced and distributed other Spanish-language materials, including “Trastornos de Ansiedad,” an educational brochure about the five major anxiety disorders, which are: panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, phobias, and generalized anxiety disorder; “Trastorno de Panico,” a pamphlet about panic disorder; and “Es Posible Que Usted Padezca el Trastorno del Panico?,” a brief screener to help health professionals and patients identify panic disorder symptoms. Callers can receive a free, confidential information packet including the photonovela and additional information about panic disorder and other anxiety disorders by calling 1-800-64-PANICO.

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The National Institute of Mental Health is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Federal Government's primary agency for biomedical and behavioral research. NIH is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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