Panic Disorder Treatment

A panic attack is a cascade of intense physical stress symptoms, driven by a sense of menace or threat, which creates an acute sense of endangerment and high anxiety. Panic attacks can be terrifying, and many of us fear things are out of control.

Panic is psychological, not physically dangerous, and very well understood. The attacks are bouts of intense physical stress symptoms accompanied by daunting apprehensions about coping with potential physical or psychological harm.

Some physical symptoms of panic are palpitations or pounding heart, trembling, shortness of breath, or feelings of choking. You can find a complete list at www.adaa.org – The Anxiety and Depression Association of America website.

If you or your support people think you are actually having a life-threatening emergency, then treat it as such – going to the nearest emergency room and/or calling the emergency phone number if needed.

The First Step in working with panic is to acknowledge panic attacks by simply labelling them as “panic” – no more – when they occur. Just hold on for a moment or two and talk straight to yourself.  Let yourself know, in a quiet mental voice, that this is just panic – emotional, uncomfortable, but not ultimately harmful. This measure will “get the actual situaion out on the table” and begin being objective, rather than leaving scary thoughts and misgivings to rattle around in your head.

Panic attacks and the physical symptoms actually represent no immediate, mortal danger. To correct the scary misconceptions:

• Panic does not cause tissue damage. They’re like sneezing fits – both are just intense.
• Panic doesn’t place in us in jeopardy. There’s no added risk of stroke or of heart attack. It is not a gateway to psychosis, nor will it eradicate your self-control.

Avoidance. Situations and activities where you’ve panicked won’t need to be avoided in the long run. The distress of panic disorder sometimes leads individuals to avoid situations where they fear an attack might occur. When avoidance significantly impacts clients’ daily functioning and quality of life, I utilize Exposure Therapy to help them overcome the phobic avoidance as part of the treatment.

Emotional intensity doesn’t need to be feared.

Panic Disorder Is Very Treatable

Treatment for panic typically includes psychotherapy, possibly medication, or a combination of both. The therapies I utilize are mainly Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Comment Therapy (ACT), and select Meditation-Based Therapy strategies.

Seven Tips for Immediate Relief of Panic

• Remember: You are not your anxiety.
• Your feelings are not harmful, dangerous, or stupid: they are just an exaggeration of a normal stress reaction. They come and then they go. Do not try to fight them or wish them away.
• Do not add anxiety to your panic by thinking about what “might” happen. Stay in the present and notice what really is and is not happening to you.
• Learning brief, mindful breathing and a technique for working with panic breathing can provide you with useful, effective tools to work with. See below if irregular breathing or shortness of breath is part of your attacks.
• When the panic comes, expect and accept it. You’ll learn to tolerate it as you overcome it. Get support and try to quiet yourself. It’s a frightening reaction which dissipates once treated.
• Notice during an attack when the physical symptoms are subsiding: They sometimes last only a relatively short time. Mentally “check in” with yourself as you go and notice how they’re changing and easing off.
• Panics typically last between a couple of minutes and up to 30 or 40, including the physical symptoms and the anxious feelings. Panic attacks always come and go,

Working with the Breath

I teach clients to work with their breath in ways that help establish control during panic. Many people get caught up in “panic breathing” – rapid, shallow breathing with great big in-breaths and scanty out-breaths – which actually sustains the attacks and whips up a sense of chaos. By learning to consciously slow the pace of their breath and down-regulate panic breathing clients can steady themselves during panic and regain focus.

Treatment With Me

I’ve been successfully and skillfully treating clients for Panic Disorder ever since Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Panic first became available to the public forty years ago.  I was excited to discover then that I could help clients overcome dread, disturbance, and difficulty with their careers and relationships. They were able to become liberated and live panic free.

Therapy with me is collaborative, creative, and positive. I’ve been continually enhancing and enriching the treatment, including meditation-based strategies.

If you think you’d like to work with me on overcoming Panic Disorder or would like to discuss treatment, please give me a call.

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