Facing Adversity: Authentic Stories of Living and Working with Panic Attacks

This paper presents stories of adversity, as voiced by those that live and work with panic attacks. Respondents of this exploratory, phenomenological study, conducted in Sydney, Australia, shared their experiences of living and working with panic attacks. Two themes (and five sub-themes) of their reported lived experiences are presented here, including: A Changed Life (including sub-themes of: a seismic shift; a creeping change, and not knowing); and, Being Alone (with sub-themes of: withdrawing from the world; and professional non-support). Amidst their experiences of panic-related adversity, the 18 respondents reported trying to maintain—often without success—their working lives and selves. The often profound implications for employees working with panic are discussed, including the urgent need for further research.