Panic Disorder and Panic Attack Therapy
Is your anxiety getting in the way of you living life to the fullest? Do you experience panic attacks? Do you live in fear that a panic attack can strike at any moment? Do you feel trapped within your own body? Please know that if you struggle with panic disorder and/or chronic panic attacks, you are not alone.
At Anchor Therapy, we have therapists who specialize in treating panic disorder and panic attacks. You do not have to let panic and anxiety run your life. With the right panic disorder treatment and effective coping skills, you can take control of your life once again!
What Is A Panic Attack?
Panic attacks are sudden and involve an intense sense of fear. Challenging physical symptoms arise when you are experiencing a panic attack, like shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, and more. Panic attacks can be unexpected or expected.
Whereas an unexpected panic attack may occur with no obvious cause, an expected panic attack is often cued by external stressors. When thinking of an expected panic attack, think of phobias for instance. Fears or avoidance behaviors are triggered by certain situations that may induce a panic attack. If a person is claustrophobic (a fear of enclosed spaces), they may avoid small rooms, elevators, tunnels, and/or crowded spaces where they may feel trapped and unable to leave if a panic attack happens.
The terms ‘panic attack’ and ‘anxiety attack’ are often used interchangeably as the two share key emotional and physical symptoms, but they are different.
Let us say that you have a major presentation at work tomorrow. When you think about this situation, you may experience anxiety since it is potentially stressful and nerve-wracking. When the situation arises, your anxiety may morph into a full-blown panic attack.
To differentiate an anxiety attack from a panic attack, keep the following in mind:
The cause: Anxiety is typically brought on by a situation you view as stressful and/or threatening. Panic attacks do not always have to be caused by a particular stressor or trigger.
Your distress level: Anxiety comes in all shapes and sizes, from mild to severe. You can still complete day-to-day activities while feeling anxious. However, panic often comes along with severe symptoms that disrupt your daily life.
The fight-or-flight response: A panic attack lights up your fight-or-flight response. Physical symptoms of panic are often stronger than the physical symptoms of anxiety.
Speed of the attack: An anxiety attack can be gradual, but a panic attack occurs swiftly.
Only panic attacks are outlined in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
If you are experiencing a panic attack, it is likely that you will know it. You experience a shock of fear and discomfort which can feel overwhelming.
Here are some physical symptoms of a panic attack:
Rapid heartbeat
Chills
Hot flashes
Shortness of breath
Nausea or abdominal distress
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Numbness or tingling sensation
Chest pain
Trembling or shaking
Sweating
Here are some emotional symptoms of a panic attack:
Fear of dying
Depersonalization (Feeling detached from yourself or reality)
Feeling like you are losing control
Feeling like you are crazy
Intense fear of terror
Sense of impending doom
Here are some cognitive symptoms of a panic attack:
Confusion
Catastrophic thinking (Always expecting the worst possible outcome)
Difficulty staying focused
Intrusive thoughts
Heightened alertness
Here are some behavioral symptoms of a panic attack:
Attempts to escape a situation
Avoiding places or situations associated with a previous panic attack(s)
Seeking reassurance from other people
Panic attacks can happen to anyone and chronic panic attacks often go hand-in-hand with panic disorder.
What Is Panic Disorder?
Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder that consists of multiple unexpected panic attacks. With panic disorder, it is typical for panic attacks to occur with no warning and they are not due to an underlying mental health issue or physical problem. There is no specific trigger for panic attacks. It is important to note that just because you experience panic attacks, it does not automatically mean that you have panic disorder.
A common characteristic of panic disorder is frequently worrying about when the next panic attack is going to occur. When you experience panic, you feel a rush of fear alongside physical symptoms, such as chest tightness, sweating, a racing heart, upset stomach, and so on.
Some people may even confuse a panic attack for a heart attack. This triggers excessive worry, a feeling that you may die, a sense of loss of control, and a feeling as if you are “going crazy.” When you do not have the appropriate skills to deal with and properly manage your panic disorder, you may start avoiding places where an attack could occur, like driving a car, taking public transit, being around large groups of people, and more.
Many people associate panic disorder with agoraphobia and, while they are related, there are differences. They often occur alongside each other, but that is not always the case.
Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder consisting of a fear of avoidance of situations or places where escape may be difficult or help may not be available in the case of a panic attack or the occurrence of symptoms pertaining to a panic attack.
Agoraphobia can be a single mental health disorder or it may be a complication of panic disorder. When agoraphobia occurs alongside panic disorder, it is typically sparked by the fear of having a panic attack in public or an unfamiliar place.
Panic disorder is distinguished by frequent panic attacks and agoraphobia is a condition where you fear a situation or place where escape may be hard or even embarrassing if a panic attack occurs.
Panic Attack Therapy
If you struggle with panic attacks, you know the daily struggle. Panic attacks can occur at any given moment and, if they do occur, how can you ensure that you will be prepared to deal with it? If you let your panic attacks go unmanaged, panic attack disorder can negatively impact your life in more ways than one. Knowing how to manage it will get you your life back.
The primary objective of panic attack disorder therapy is to help you manage the symptoms of your disorder. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, simply referred to as CBT, is an effective method for controlling panic attacks. CBT offers practical methods for treating panic attacks.
Negative thoughts can worsen your panic attacks and CBT focuses on transforming those negative thoughts into more positive, realistic ones. You can center your thoughts so you can gain a better handle on managing your disorder.
In panic attack therapy, your panic attack therapist near you will help you gain insight into your symptoms and help you gain understanding as to why you are struggling the way you are. For example, let us say that you are experiencing vehophobia, also known as a driving phobia. Perhaps you were in a bad car accident as a child or teen and this phobia has carried itself into adulthood, giving you a fear of driving or being in cars due to concerns about having a panic attack while you are out on the road.
The goal of any panic attack counselor, whether at Anchor Therapy or elsewhere, is to help you get to the root cause of your issue(s). Every client is different so, for you, CBT may not be the best approach. Regardless, our panic attack therapists are highly-trained clinicians who can assess your situation and use the best approach for you.
Panic Disorder Therapy
Similar to panic attack therapy, CBT is also used to treat panic disorder. Panic control treatment via CBT can alleviate your symptoms within 15 to 20 sessions.
Our panic disorder therapists use psychoeducation so you can understand the cycle of panic that you are experiencing, encompassing your negative thought cycles and physical sensations. During this education process, you will also explore common triggers and the cycle of fear that goes along with panic.
The cognitive component of CBT involves pinpointing and challenging negative thought patterns or your cognitive distortions that add to your feelings of anxiety and panic. To do this, your CBT therapist for panic disorder may recommend keeping a thought record. During a panic attack, your CBT counselor may encourage you to track your beliefs so you can then analyze them for accuracy and validity. By doing this, you are prepared to challenge your negative beliefs.
Exposure therapy for panic disorder is also a common therapy modality where you are gradually exposed to a fearful situation or trigger linked to panic attacks. While this may sound scary at first, an exposure therapist is there to help you each and every step of the way. Exposure for panic disorder is done in a controlled manner.
You will learn how to confront your feared situation while learning that your feared outcome is unlikely. Most importantly, you will learn that you have the power to control your anxiety and panic.
Techniques in Anxiety Panic Disorder Treatment
Strategies learned in anxiety and panic attack treatment vary depending on the client because everyone has unique needs! A therapist for anxiety and panic attacks will share techniques with you so you can manage your panic inside the walls of your therapist’s office and out in the real world too.
Desensitization is a popular technique used in CBT for panic disorder. In your exposure treatment for panic, desensitization occurs. By engaging in this, you confront and overcome your fears while managing your anxiety triggers effectively.
Relaxation techniques are extremely effective for managing panic attacks. It could even help prevent panic attacks altogether. If you cling to the stressors going on in your life, a panic attack may occur. Relaxation techniques, like breathing exercises, can calm you down when you are feeling anxious. Over time, this can reduce your anxiety immensely.
Meditation and mindfulness are great practices to adopt if you struggle with panic attacks and/or panic disorder. Meditation and mindfulness give you the ‘pause’ that you need to become more aware of your thought patterns and triggers.
Through mindfulness, you will come to understand that an unpleasant thought or physical sensation does not mean that it has to dictate your entire experience as a human being. A moment of panic does not equate to a lifetime of panic although it may be easy to inflate this experience in the heat of the moment.
Benefits of Panic Disorder Therapy Treatment
Panic attack and panic disorder therapy treatment at Anchor Therapy offer many benefits that can make you feel like your best self again.
The following are some of the main benefits of attending panic disorder treatment:
Reducing panic attack frequency and severity - Therapy gives you the coping strategies you need to manage and lessen the frequency and severity of your panic attacks. Cognitive restructuring and relaxation training are some ways to gain control of your symptoms to name a few coping mechanisms.
Fear reduction - Confronting fearful situations or triggers in a gradual way through exposure counseling lessens your fear responses and avoidance behaviors.
Increased emotional regulation - An inevitable component of therapy is self-discovery where you will learn more about your emotions, triggers, and behavioral patterns linked with panic attacks.
Anxiety management skills - Finding practical skills for managing anxiety takes trial and error. A deep breathing exercise may work to get you back on track whereas a person experiencing physical symptoms uses progressive muscle relaxation. These skills can be used during moments of anxiety or panic.
Changing maladaptive thought patterns - CBT will help you pinpoint and alter your thoughts that add to your panic attacks and anxiety.
Better problem-solving skills - Therapy can help to confront your challenges in a proactive way, reducing anxiety in your daily life.
Enhanced quality of life - When the frequency and severity of panic attacks and panic disorder decrease, your quality of life will improve. Your anxiety will no longer limit you at work, school, home, and beyond.
How Can I Start panic disorder and anxiety attack counseling at Anchor Therapy?
WORKING WITH anchor therapy IS EASY
Fill out the contact form below.
An Intake Coordinator will respond to your inquiry, and match you with a panic disorder counselor on our team who can help.
Rest easy tonight knowing that you have taken the first step of gaining control over your life again!
