Virtual School’s Possible Benefits to Students with Panic Disorders Antony Herrera

Panic Attacks Sudden feelings of terror that strike without warning.

Panic Attacks Panic attacks are real and potentially emotionally disturbing. - Because of the disturbing physical signs and symptoms that accompany panic attacks, they may be mistaken for heat attacks. - One fourth of the people who visit the emergency room for heart pain are actually experiencing panic.

Basic components There are three basic components of panic disorders - Panic Attacks - Anticipatory Anxiety - Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia Agoraphobia is a fear of being outside or otherwise, being in a situation from which one either cannot escape or from which escaping would be difficult and/or humiliating.

Anticipatory Anxiety Preparatory or residual anxiety. The anxiety a person feels after a history of Panic Attacks

Why People Have Panic Attacks Panic attacks are believed to occur when the brain’s normal mechanism for dealing with threat(also known as the flight or fight response) becomes inappropriately aroused. This happens when a stimulus triggers an area in the brain stem that controls the release of adrenalin. When one is confronted with danger, one’s flight or fight response activates to prepare one for it.

Why People Have Panic Attacks (cont.) - When the response activates and there is no immediate danger present, a panic attack becomes present.

Side Effects It can lead to a person acquiring a phobia to the situation they were in when the panic attack occurred, such as driving or being in the park, or maybe even in the classroom. With one being afraid of that situation, the problem has already become worse. A panic attack can now be triggered by something as simple as thinking of it. -This can lead to individuals being extremely terrified of anything that has to do with that.

How To Treat This Controlling panic attacks includes several effective medical treatments, and specific forms of psychotherapy. The psychotherapy portion of the treatment is just as important medication treatment. It is actually more effective if you do therapy alone, than just taking the medications.

Psychotherapy The way this psychotherapy works is by addressing the anxiety Cognitive behavioral therapy is widely accepted as an effective form of psychotherapy as well The purpose of this kind of therapy is to help those with panic disorders identify and decrease the thoughts and behaviors that initiate the panic attack symptoms

Young Age The crowning period where people have their first experience of panic attacks is from the ages between fifteen and nineteen. Since teenagers spend most of their days in school it is highly likely for them to experience their first panic attack while in school. Imagine being in front of the class and having a panic attack.

Young Age (cont.) And it is not even just having another panic attack; It is one’s first experience. One may have no idea of what is taking place and all one knows is that they must escape the impending doom that they are feeling.

Phobia Now that the student has had there panic attack they are most likely scared it will happen again. They are building a phobia to the setting. How is a student supposed to get their education when they are deeply afraid of being in school, too afraid to be in crowded hallways, too afraid to be with all their classmates? School just seems impossible to escape and that just makes it worse.

Solution Now being afraid of being at school is a problem. This can consequently lead to one having a constant fear while living in a day to day basis. If this disorder becomes serious enough, the student might become homebound. -Homeschooling is expensive and students suffering from panic disorders are most likely already spending money on treatment for their disorder so what is the student supposed to do for education?

VIRTUAL SCHOOL

Virtual School With virtual school, the student would be allowed to stay home and continue their studies as if they were still in public school. This could be rewarding because assignments may be completed on their own time, freeing up their schedule to have more time for their treatments. They would not need to be afraid of talking to their teachers in front of their classmates because they get one on one attention from them. The student now has an environment where they are comfortable and can learn.

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