Question

While he was studying, Matthew was suddenly overwhelmed by feelings of intense dread. For several minutes he felt so fearful that he could not catch his breath. Matthew was most likely suffering from:

a) Panic disorder
b) Generalized anxiety disorder
c) Social anxiety disorder
d) Post-traumatic stress disorder

Answer 1

Matthew likely experienced a panic attack, indicative of a panic disorder, due to the sudden and intense fear and difficulty breathing, which do not align with the symptoms of PTSD, GAD, or social anxiety disorder. So the correct answer is option (A).

Step-by-step explanation:

When Matthew suddenly experienced feelings of intense dread and fear along with difficulty catching his breath, he was most likely suffering from a panic disorder. These symptoms align closely with this type of anxiety disorder, which is characterized by sudden and intense episodes of fear known as panic attacks.

These episodes are usually accompanied by physical symptoms such as shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and dizziness. Unlike post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which follows a traumatic event, or Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which involves persistent and excessive worry about everyday things, panic disorder involves sudden, intense surges of fear with no clear trigger.

The description of Matthew's experience does not fit the symptoms of a social anxiety disorder, wherein fear is specifically related to social situations or the prolonged distress and reliving of past trauma that is common with PTSD.