Panic Disorder, a medical condition, is also known as Panic Syndrome. This condition was first described a little over twenty years ago and, by reason of misinformation on the part of laypeople, physicians, and related professionals, it has been used to describe a variety of clinical conditions that are quite different from the one originally described and from that which is found listed in the International Classification of Diseases.
It is common for a person who presents Shyness or Social Phobia to be diagnosed with Panic Syndrome. At other times , the label is applied to people who experience strong anxiety in various situations and even in cases of mild anxiety. I hope to shed a little
more light on this subject and clarify these uncertainties. It will be, however, a brief review as this site was not set up to deal with this particular disorder. I think the best way to do this is to present a descriptive ‘snap-shot’ of the three conditions – Shyness, Social Phobia, and Panic Disorder. I should also make it clear that the term Panic Syndrome is synonymous with Panic Disorder and that this condition has nothing whatsoever to do with Shyness, Social Phobia, and Anxiety.
