ABC News 20/20 Panic Attacks. Don't Panic

There is a kind of pain that is invisible and terrifying -- panic attacks. In their most extreme form, people are so paralyzed with fear that for years they are unable even to leave their own homes. Psychologist David Barlow and Director of the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders at Boston University says a number of factors, including heredity and stress can make a person vulnerable to panic attacks. But there is a pioneering therapy that, in many cases, could be an alternative to drugs or months, even years of therapy in treating panic attacks with agoraphobia. The idea behind this therapy is to have the patient confront their fear in a controlled setting. This "20/20" show contains the following additional story: A Touch of Madness

When sold by Amazon.com, this product will be manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.