Citation

Bouwer C, Stein D. Psychol. Med. 1999; 29(1): 233-236.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, University of Stellenbosch, Tygerberg, South Africa.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Cambridge University Press)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10077312

Abstract

BACKGROUND: We previously reported that in panic disorder a history of near-suffocation is associated with predominantly respiratory panic attacks. It might be hypothesized that the near-suffocation experienced in certain kinds of torture is also associated with the development of predominantly respiratory panic attacks. METHODS: A sample of patients who had experienced torture (N = 14) was drawn from an Anxiety Disorders Clinic in South Africa. Subjects were questioned about symptoms of panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder and depression. RESULTS: Patients with a history of torture by suffocation were more likely than other patients to complain of predominantly respiratory symptoms during panic attacks. These patients also demonstrated higher levels of depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: While various interpretations of the data can be made, it is possible that torture by suffocation is associated with a specific symptomatic profile. Were such an association to be replicated, this would perhaps support the suffocation alarm hypothesis of panic disorder and provide evidence that specific environmental factors play a role in the development of this alarm.

Language: en