According to the DSM-5, the most notable diagnostic criterion for panic disorder is unexpected and reoccurring panic …show more content…
My faith in the medical profession was in tatters, from my initial experience with the doctor who diagnosed my first panic attack to the subsequent medical professionals I sought help from. In my eyes they had let me down by not helping me. No-one suggested seeking counselling and it was by my own investigation I had found my path to wellness through alternative medicine. My spirit was unfulfilled and felt stagnant. If I apply the holistic assessment model Te Whare Tapa Wha to my experience I can understand that my spiritual well-being (wairua) was broken-down due to the negative impact of PD on the other three dimensions. I was physically unwell (tinana) due to my emotional imbalance (hinengaro) and my family and social (whānau) connections were negatively impacted due to the isolation I felt during this experience (Durie, 2001). I understand now that during this period of my life I did not have a strong spiritual connection. I recognise that I was in survival mode during this time and I was barely functioning in my day to day life due to my emotional, mental and physical health issues. When my well-being became more balanced, I began to look at finding faith in something greater than humanity. This spirituality has become embedded in my daily