How do panic attacks function for Patient 2 in terms of behavioral response?

The functioning of panic attacks for Patient 2 can be understood better through the concept of positive punishment. In behavioral psychology, positive punishment occurs when an aversive stimulus is introduced to decrease a specific behavior. In the context of panic attacks, they can lead the individual to avoid situations or triggers that cause anxiety or fear, ultimately reinforcing avoidance behavior.

When Patient 2 experiences a panic attack, the intense feelings of fear and physical symptoms act as an aversive response. The distress associated with these panic attacks may cause the patient to learn to avoid environments or activities where they previously experienced panic. Therefore, the panic attack — the aversive stimulus — essentially punishes the behavior of being in social settings or engaging in certain activities, leading to an increase in avoidance behaviors to prevent future panic attacks. Thus, the panic attack serves to enforce a behavioral change that aims at reducing exposure to situations that could trigger such a response again.

Recognizing panic attacks in this light helps to understand how they influence behavior on an adaptive level, ultimately reflecting a learning process conditioned through the experience of anxiety and fear responses.