Postpartum onset of panic disorder.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the experience of panic disorder in mothers during the postpartum period. The onset of panic disorder during the postpartum period has recently been reported. Clinicians are urged to differentiate between the more widely known presentation of postpartum depression and the newly reported postpartum panic disorder.


METHODS
Phenomenology. The purposive sample consisted of six women with panic disorder during the postpartum period.


METHODS
In 1995, mothers were interviewed regarding their experiences with panic. The verbatim transcripts of these interviews were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method. In all, 214 statements regarding mothers' experiences of panic were extracted and clustered into six themes.


RESULTS
Panic during the postpartum period seriously complicated mothers' lives as they struggled to maintain their composure during panic attacks. As a result of recurring panic attacks, negative changes in women's lifestyles ensued stripping them of their self-esteem and leaving them to bear the burden of disappointing not only themselves, but also their families.


CONCLUSIONS
Implications for nursing practice with mothers suffering from postpartum onset of panic disorder can be derived from each one of the six themes. Nurses can help women identify panic triggers to help prevent further panic attacks. Also, nursing interventions can target the guilt mothers experience over repeatedly disappointing themselves and their families.
University of Connecticut School of Nursing, Storrs, USA.
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Beck
D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016389:Maternal-Child Nursing; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011788:Quality of Life