Some people experience panic attacks once or twice during their life, but others experience them constantly and more abruptly. Nobody likes to have panic attacks, and having them non-stop can take a toll on you. Panic disorders are exhausting and scary. A panic disorder is basically an ongoing case of unpredictable, intense panic attacks. The mental and physical symptoms can be so intense that seeking outside help, like the assistance of a panic disorder therapist near you, can be a great way to help you get the support you need.
Despite your best efforts to convince yourself that you are okay, panic attacks can still occur. While there is no universal magic cure to panic attacks, there are effective methods that you can learn to help manage your symptoms. This blog will give you a deeper understanding of panic attacks and panic disorder and what you can do to overcome and cope with them.
Anchor Therapy is a counseling center in Hoboken, NJ with mental health therapists specialized in helping children, teens, adults, and couples with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, life transitions, and more. Anchor Therapy is accepting new clients and is now providing in-person sessions and teletherapy sessions to residents of New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Utah.
What is a panic disorder?
A panic disorder is defined as a type of anxiety disorder that is characterized by unexpected and repeated episodes of panic attacks. Panic disorder episodes usually occur without any warning or prior triggers, and tend to be pretty severe. Panic disorders are different from panic attacks. If one is constantly experiencing unexpected panic attacks, that is a sign that you might have a panic disorder.
The anxiety brought on by a panic disorder is ongoing and can have a detrimental effect on your day to day life. It can cause you to not want to go to certain places, or do certain things. It can also impact your relationships, and many other aspects of your life.
What is a panic attack?
A panic attack is a feeling of sudden and intense anxiety, normally without any reasoning behind it. Thankfully, even though they may seem very scary, they are not life threatening. Panic attacks are normally triggered by some outside event and, with the right coping mechanisms, can be prevented. Even if you continue to have panic attacks, once you know effective calming techniques, your panic attacks will be much less severe.
What causes panic attacks?
Although panic attacks are unpredictable, you can pay attention to when you are having a panic attack and what a possible trigger could have been. It is good to keep notes somewhere to see if there are any patterns to what triggers your panic attacks and when they occur. Some people will experience at least one panic attack during their lifetime. If you struggle with panic attacks, check out our blog “How to Manage A Panic Attack”.
Symptoms of panic attacks include:
Dizziness
Shortness of breath
Racing heart
Chest pain
Abdominal distress
Sweating
Chills
Tingly or numbness in hands
Dissociation/ feeling like you are not in control of your own body
Hot flashes
Panic attack triggers vary greatly and, in many cases, there are no specific triggers. However, in the case that a trigger is present, there are some common scenarios where a panic response can occur.
Some Common Panic Attack Triggers Include:
Stress
Activities that lead to intense physical reactions (i.e. exercising, excess caffeine intake)
Visiting certain places and/or social events
Spending time with people who harm your mental health
Certain medications
A diet that is not well-balanced
Financial stress
What is the difference between panic attacks and a panic disorder?
The key difference between panic attacks and a panic disorder is timing and frequency. Just because a person struggles with panic attacks, does not automatically mean that they are also struggling with a panic disorder. A person who has panic attacks may only experience them a few times in their lifetime, rather than a person who struggles with a panic disorder who experiences recurrent, unexpected panic attacks. Those who have a panic disorder will also spend periods of time in intense fear of another attack.
Panic attacks and a panic disorder do have one thing in common though, and that is that they are both extremely exhausting. The good news is panic attacks can be prevented, and one can be taught the best ways to cope with panic attacks. Therefore, this means that panic disorders are something that anyone can learn to cope with as well. A panic attack specialized therapist can help you in identifying your triggers and help you cope with them better so that you experience less panic attacks.
What is an anxiety attack? Why is it different from a panic attack?
Anxiety attacks and panic attacks share symptoms; however, anxiety attacks are less severe than panic attacks. Unlike panic attacks that tend to occur randomly, anxiety attacks normally occur as a response to a perceived threat. They both have triggers that can cause them to occur, but panic attacks can occur without a trigger. Anxiety attacks are typically caused by a specific trigger. Anxiety attacks are not as sudden as panic attacks, and tend to last longer than a panic attack.
Symptoms of an anxiety attack include:
Nervousness
Difficulty concentrating
Restlessness
Agitation
Sweating
Shaking
Increased heart rate
Shortness of breath
What is the difference between panic disorder and anxiety disorder?
A panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders and panic disorders are often talked about/used interchangeably, and although they do share similar aspects, they differ in many ways as well.
For example, anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive feelings of irrational worry and fear. When someone has an anxiety disorder, their brain is trained to react negatively when they feel that they are in danger. This means that something like an anxiety attack is normally brought on as a response to a person being/feeling as though they are in danger.
Having anxiety over certain situations is a normal part of life, but having sudden attacks of overwhelming fear may be an indication of an underlying panic disorder. If you are struggling, do not be afraid to seek the help of an anxiety therapist today. If you are looking to see if you have an anxiety disorder, take this Anxiety Quiz.
Symptoms of anxiety disorder include:
Feeling nervous, restless, or tense
Excessive worrying
Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
Feeling of panic, doom, or danger
Irritability
Muscle tension
If you are struggling with anxiety, you should check out, “5 Ways To Calm Your Anxiety”.
Treatments for anxiety include:
General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) Treatment - GAD treatment includes talk therapy for anxiety. This is where you can talk with your anxiety therapist about how you are feeling, and your anxiety mental health counselor can help you understand why it is happening and what you can do to cope
CBT For Anxiety - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of evidence based therapy. It works by identifying unwanted or intrusive thoughts, and helps you find ways to challenge and process these thoughts. If you are interested in learning how CBT can specifically help with your anxiety, read: “How You Can Treat Your Anxiety Using CBT.”
Exposure Therapy For Anxiety - Exposure Therapy is normally used in conjunction with CBT for anxiety. It specifically focuses on reducing your physical and emotional responses to anxiety triggers by exposing you to the triggering situation. Exposure therapy works best for individuals who avoid feared objects, situations, and/or places.
Symptoms of a panic disorder include:
Sudden and repeated panic attacks due to overwhelming anxiety and fear
A feeling of being out of control
A fear of death or impending doom of death during a panic attack
An intense worry of when the next panic attack will occur
A fear or avoidance of places where panic attacks have occurred in the past
Panic disorders are characterized by continuous, unexpected panic attacks. When someone has a panic disorder their panic attacks are brought on without any sort of feeling of being in danger. They are brought on completely randomly and without any prior warning.
Panic attacks can occur anywhere and anytime, even if someone is in a perfectly safe environment and is in no immediate danger. Panic attacks are normally more severe, shorter, and more sudden than anxiety attacks. If you find yourself experiencing frequent, unexpected panic attacks then it is suggested that you seek the help of an anxiety therapist to see if you have a panic disorder.
How can I overcome and cope with my panic disorder?
There are many effective ways to cope with a panic disorder- here are a few that you may find helpful...
*Remember that these are not the only ways to cope and it is important to find a panic disorder therapist near you in order to help. Each situation is unique, and yours is no exception.
Know your panic attack symptoms
The first step to coping with a panic disorder is to find ways to cope with your panic attacks. However, you cannot do this unless you understand your panic attacks, their triggers, and your symptoms.
You can do the following grounding exercise when having a panic attack:
Pay attention to where you are
Pay attention to what you are doing
Try to understand how your body is feeling/responding
By knowing your symptoms as well as your triggers, and the changes your body begins to make during a panic attack, you can then better understand when one is occurring and what you can do to feel better when it is happening. This alone will eventually decrease the severity of your panic attacks. Once you can get your panic attacks under control, it will not be as scary when another one occurs in the future. Remember- you are in control!
Treatment of panic attacks include:
Deep breathing
Practicing mindfulness
Writing in a journal
Talking to someone
Practicing self care
Diverting your attention to something else
2. Find a panic disorder therapist
Anxiety therapists will be able to help you overcome a panic disorder more than any other treatment. There are a variety of therapists with a variety of treatment plans to help you overcome them.
Therapists can help you …
Understand the characteristics of your panic disorder
Why it may be happening
What you can do to cope with it
There are also specific panic disorder therapists who are specifically trained to treat people living with a panic disorder. Anchor Therapy offers treatments for people experiencing panic disorders as well as treatments for other mental health issues, including anxiety and depression.
Some available treatments for panic disorders are …
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - CBT for panic disorder is a type of evidence based therapy. It works by identifying unwanted or intrusive thoughts, and helps you find ways to challenge and process these thoughts.
Trauma Therapy - Sometimes panic disorders are developed from a traumatic experience. Trauma therapy can help individuals understand their traumatic experiences and how they impacted them, as well as work through them in order to help ease their panic symptoms.
Psychodynamic Therapy - Psychodynamic Therapy uses talk therapy to better understand the root of your symptoms. It addresses a larger range of issues and patterns of behaviors that are personalized to help address each individual's needs. It differs from CBT, which is more short-term focused.
Exposure therapy for panic disorders - Exposure therapy specifically focuses on reducing your physical and emotional responses to anxiety triggers by exposing you to the triggering situation. Exposure therapy is recommended for people who avoid feared objects, situations, and/or places.
Lifestyle changes - Some lifestyle changes include cutting back on alcohol use, quitting smoking, drinking less caffeine, incorporating regular exercise into your daily life, and more generally healthy lifestyle improvements.
3. Develop different coping strategies
When experiencing a panic disorder, there are a variety of coping strategies, including therapy, that you can use in order to manage your panic disorder. However, everyone’s brain is different and treatment is not a one size fits all concept which is why there are several forms of therapy you can try to find the perfect fit. Our therapists at Anchor Therapy are trained to customize their therapeutic approach to fit your needs.
When it comes to treating a panic disorder, it is important to try out different strategies and see what works best for you. There are also strategies that you can incorporate into your daily life that may help.
Some additional coping strategies include:
Working out
Joining a support group
Changing your lifestyle
Trying alternative medicines (Speak to a medical doctor before doing so).
Avoiding caffeine, alcohol, smoking, and recreational drugs
Practicing good self care
Practicing stress management and relaxation techniques - To learn more about stress management, check out of blog “Everything You Need to Know About Stress Management”
4. Understand that you are not alone
Panic attacks happen to ordinary people every day and, more than likely, everyone will experience at least one panic attack within their lifetime. Although a panic disorder is not as common as panic attacks, it is still something that many people experience every day. Panic disorders can be scary and sometimes make you feel like you are the only one in the world who could possibly feel like this. But, the truth is that you are not alone. Understanding this can help you heal.
It is important to remember the key difference between panic disorders (panic disorders are a repeated case of intense and unpredictable panic attacks) and panic attacks (which normally occur a few times throughout someone’s life). Similarly, anxiety disorders (living in a constant state of nervousness or worry) and anxiety attacks (gradual prolonged feelings of intense anxiety) are different as well.
The bottom line is that living with a panic disorder is difficult. However, there are so many things that you can do to make it a little bit easier. Remember that, although panic disorders are exhausting, they are highly treatable. With the help of a panic disorder therapist, there are many things that you can do to help live comfortably with your panic disorder, including decreasing its severity. Living with a panic disorder is not easy; however, it is something that everyone is capable of doing, including you!
Marissa Smith
is an intern at Anchor Therapy and currently a senior at the University of Delaware. She is a Human Services major with a concentration in Administration and Family Policy. Marissa hopes to continue her education and get a Master’s Degree in School Counseling.
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