Anxiety Disorders and Best Treatments Being Used Today

Published on 9 May 2013

Anxiety disorders may be as pervasive a condition as depression, yet they are still not as widely discussed as depression. As part of The Agenda's Mental Health Matters coverage, we'll examine the research around anxiety disorders and the best treatments being used today.

Professor Don Jefferys, from the department of psychology at Deakin University, says panic attacks usually stem from a fear of entering a certain situation or location, such as travelling down the freeway or walking into a cinema. "They can happen anywhere, at any time," he says. "Even when you are relaxing or sleeping." He says that nocturnal attacks, such as the ones Thompson experiences, can be the most terrifying. While the trigger for a panic attack is psychological, the process that occurs is physiological.