Growing Points in the Studies of Agoraphobia, Panic Disorders and Anxiety States

Abstract

New classifications relating to a group of disorders in psychiatry often embody new hypotheses or theories about their character and aetiological basis. It is perhaps worth taking a look at the section of DSM 111 relevant to the subject matter of this Symposium to ascertain whether it is informed by a novel concept. A glance at the classification of anxiety disorders shows our expectations to be upheld. They are divided into three main groups of which two are relevant for this symposium. The phobic disorders and anxiety states comprise six main groups: Agoraphobia (with and without panic attack), Social phobia, Simple phobia, Panic disorder, Gereralised anxiety disorder and Obsessive-compulsive disorder. This grouping reflects the role of central importance allocated by Klein and his colleagues to the panic attack as the precursor and primary syndrome from which the more severely disabling agoraphobic disorder evolves as a secondary development.