I have read it, and its not one of my favorites personally, but I know others it has helped a great deal. The jury is still out on heredity vs. whatever. IF you lived with an anxious parental role model, if your family had "secrets", if your family had "rituals", etc etc, this COULD be a learned behavior. It also CAN be hereditary, but there is only one way to know for sure, and that is called a "sodium lactacte infusion"......you dont wanna go there ! They inject this thru an IV, you don't know when you will get the actual medication vs. the saline that is dripping into you all along.....if it is a CHEMICAL (hereditary) imbalance that is causing your panic disorder, you will go just about bonkers when that medication hits your brain - sorta like a panic attack multiplied by 2 gazillion times. If you do NOT have a chemical imbalance - nothing will happen. Not many people want to find out bad enough to do this test, nor do many Docs who are TRAINED to do this test what to put people thru it. (I had the test, I still get sick to my stomach thinking about the intensity of the attack I had during it).

I think there is much credence to the theory it is in our thinking, however, how did it get there to begin with? WHy did I suddenly wake up one day and say "Dag nabbit - I now can no longer go into a grocery store, cause I am afraid of those Van de Kampp fish that jump outta the frozen food section".....see, I dont think it is our thinking that STARTS this disorder - but it sure feeds it like crazy once we start having attacks ! Stinkin thinkin as I call it.

Good luck with that book, it has some great info in it for sure. I have recommended other books in posts that I have found more helpful, but you know, we are all different, and what works for one might not for the other, so Bournes' book might be the one that works for you ! GOOD LUCK and keep us posted ! If you come across something in the book that you think would help others here - post it please !