Frequency of fainting, vomiting and incontinence in panic disorder: A descriptive study

Abstract Little is known about how often individuals with panic disorder (PD) actually experience the physical catastrophes that they fear (e.g., fainting, vomiting, incontinence). This study investigated the frequency of such events in PD and the circumstances under which they occur. A systematic chart review of 574 consecutive patients diagnosed with PD was completed. Nineteen out of 35 patients who had previously reported a history of fainting, vomiting or incontinence (i.e., loss of bowel or bladder control) during a panic attack were interviewed by telephone. Of this sample, 11 confirmed a history of fainting, four confirmed a history of vomiting and four confirmed a history of incontinence during at least one previous panic attack. Four of these individuals reported more than one type of event and several others reported that they had only come close to experiencing these feared events. Participants also reported on the timing of these events (relative to their panic attacks), the circumstances under which the events occurred, as well as possible causes and outcomes of the events. Although rare, catastrophic events such as fainting, vomiting and incontinence appear to occur in the context of panic attacks for some individuals. The implications for cognitive behavioural treatment of PD are discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.