Panic Disorder

Martin is a sales representative, working for a large national company.  His work requires him to travel throughout the country, mostly by car.  He sought therapy after he began to experience an increasing number of panic attacks when driving on the motorway.

Over a number of sessions, the normal stress management techniques had been tried with no success.  Doing his job was becoming increasingly difficult for Martin, and the more often he experienced the problem, the more desperate he began to feel, and the more frequently he experienced the problem… 

The therapist explained to Martin what Provocative Therapy was, and suggested that they try a short, time-limited session.  Martin was increasingly worried about how his future would develop, particularly as he and his young wife had decided, some time ago, to try to conceive their first child.  His career was probably on the line if he were unable to find some solution, and he agreed with alacrity. 

After a few initial fairly light-hearted exchanges, the therapist began to offer increasingly ridiculous 'insights' into the problem.  With a twinkle in his eye, he told the bemused Martin that research showed that when Scotsmen were wearing kilts, complete with sporrans, they never had panic attacks.  He went on to say that 'it had been found that' this was because the sporran was a psychological protection for the genitals!  Of course, this problem was far worse than the normal, he told Martin, so a more extreme solution was called for– a sporran is, after all, fairly small.

So the therapist suggested that what Martin really needed to do was to take a mop head from an old-fashioned mop, and to tie it in the front of his belt, whenever he was driving– so that it hung in front, like a gigantic sporran.  The therapist had first carefully established the unique light-hearted atmosphere of a PT session, and there was much hilarity as therapist and client began to explore this increasingly silly situation.  If Martin were stopped by police while driving, what would they think!  Perhaps he could have a complete set of mop heads, dyed to match his collection of suits… maybe the fashion would catch on, and soon, no well dressed man-about-town would dream of going out without his mop head… of course, the wealthy would be wearing mop heads with designer labels…

Much hilarity was generated in the session, which was enjoyed thoroughly by both therapist and client.  Two months later before therapist and client met again.  Martin told the therapist that he had actually kept a mop head in the car, and put it on several times when he began to drive on the motorway. Now, two months later, he was no longer doing this– but often found himself chuckling to himself when he drove, as the session came into mind.

At a follow-up meeting some eighteen months later, there had been no return of the problem.  Martin's wife was now pregnant.

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