Anxiety Disorder & Panic Attacks

My stepdaughter saw her therapist for her first visit last week and they diagnosed her with an anxiety disorder and panic attacks.  It made me wonder - is she THAT bad that they knew after only one visit or was that diagnosis a little premature?  The ex didn't give much detail - the first name of the therapist, no last name...anything to make it a little harder for hubby to track down her contact details to contact her directly?  My husband, who rarely says anything, was snickering over the ex's lack of sharing when he read the ex's email.

What is the disorder where you can't leave your home?  I am wondering if the ex has instilled enough fear into my stepdaughter that eventually, she will be too anxiety-ridden to leave her own home out of fear somebody will hurt her.  It'd be a shame if she is too afraid to live her life fully because her mother has told her that she'll be robbed or raped if she does anything away from mommy dearest (like get a job for example).   That's what my stepdaughter told me anyway. 

I remember during summer parenting time, my stepdaughter and daughter walked into town.  My stepdaughter was so afraid of a car that stopped at a red light that they hightailed it back home right away and the men in the car never did or said a thing.  They stopped at a red light.  Period.  Her mother, who hasn't dated in 14-15 years now, has managed to put her distrust of men right onto her daughter's shoulders.  Go mom! Not.  Don't get me wrong - you have to be careful.  You have to teach your children to be smart and safe, but turning them into anxiety-ridden adults who can't function in normal society away from mom's apron strings is unhealthy.

That reminds me, I have to get and program the address for her band concert into our PDAs so we know where it is when we are in their state in a couple weeks from the Internet (the ex hasn't sent it to us).  Otherwise, we'll be up a creek without a paddle and only eight hours of driving to show for it.  I am excited to see the kids.  I want to see how my stepdaughter is in person.  Texting just isn't the same.