UNCONSCIOUS PREGNANCY FANTASIES AS AN UNDERLYING DYNAMISM IN PANIC DISORDER

Unconscious pregnancy fantasies are outlined as an underlying dynamic organizer to the panic experience in some patients with panic disorder . Detailed case material from the treatment of two childless panic pat ients, one male and one female (nonpregnant) is presented to illustrat e this. A literature review found reports of nine nonpregnant patients , none exposed to a pregnant analyst, in whom these fantasies are desc ribed as central. Four of these patients had a psychiatric syndrome co nsistent with panic and agoraphobia. Some mechanisms that may underlie these connections are explored.