Julie, a 31-year-old manager, works as the office manager at the States Driver’s License Office. She has a history of anxiety, including choking spells, social anxiety, fear of swallowing, flying, seeing doctors, and losing control. She also experiences anxiety before meetings and speaking in front of others. Julie revealed a history of alcohol abuse and anger outbursts, but no mood swings or irritability. Her family history was unremarkable for anxiety or depression.
Following her diagnosis of panic disorder, including symptoms of social anxiety, anticipatory anxiety, multiple phobias, and stage fright, we began treatment with clonazepam 0.5 mg twice a day, Viibryd 40 mg a day, and Lamictal 100 mg a day. After one month, we assessed the effects of these medications and found that they had significantly improved her general anxiety. However, Julie still experienced fear of speaking at conferences and disciplining her coworkers. To address these issues, we began weekly EMDR therapy sessions.
After four months of medication and EMDR therapy, Julie reported feeling great. She noted that she was not very nervous at a management meeting the day before and willingly contributed to the discussion. Six months later, Julie was very energetic and had just returned from a trip to San Francisco, admitting she had no fears of flying. Overall, Julie’s treatment plan was successful in addressing her anxiety symptoms and improving her quality of life.
