Panic attack treatment to get symptoms under control, fast.
Are You Struggling with Panic Attacks?
Before
You may know what triggers your panic attacks like driving, grocery stores, or standing in line. Or they might be a complete surprise, like right when you wake up. Either way, you may be dreading the next one.
During
During a panic attack, you probably feel like you’re dying, going crazy, about to lose control of yourself or your body, or losing your grip on reality. It can feel like you’re about to have a heart attack or pass out.
After
After a panic attack, you probably feel exhausted, like you need a really long nap. You may wake up feeling like you’re in a fog, only to start worrying about something else setting off another panic attack.
Top 5 Myths of Panic Attacks
Most people with panic attacks come up with the same strategies to try and manage them. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most common tactics, (along with explanations for why these don’t work long-term).
If you’ve been relying on these rules for managing your panic attacks, you might have noticed that you get short-term relief from the panic. However, you may have also noticed that over the long-term your anxiety has only gotten worse. You may be feeling more anxious or having more physical symptoms than you did a few years ago.
-
By planning escape routes or avoiding situations where escape might be tricky or embarrassing (such as riding in a car or having dinner at a restaurant), you reinforce signals between your brain and body that you are in danger. this only increases the likelihood of escalating to a panic attack.
-
By escaping situations, either physically or via distractions, you reinforce signals to your body that you were in danger. This only increases the likelihood of your body feeling danger the next time you’re faced with the same situation. Moore avoidance equals more anxiety.
-
By trying to avoid normal bodily sensations such as changes in heart rate, body temperature, and breathing, you send more danger signals to your body. When you avoid all types of exertion, you also inadvertently create more of a physical reaction by de-conditioning your body. All of which makes you more likely to panic.
-
While it might seem helpful, this only reinforces the feeling that you can’t handle stressful situations or physical symptoms of stress. The more you lean on this tactic, the more scared and helpless you are likely to feel over time.
-
By “numbing” your body’s physical reaction, you are still sending your mind and body the signal that you are in danger. This can create dependence on drugs or alcohol over time and eventually physical symptoms will rise above the amount of anything you can consume.
How Panic Attack Treatment Can Help
When It’s Time to Call In the Pros
Panic attacks can affect major areas of your life - your relationships, your independence, work, school, self-esteem, and even your physical health. Some people have a single panic attack and never experience another one while others get stuck in a repeated cycle of panic. Panic attacks aren’t necessarily a problem that warrants therapy, as long as they don’t happen often and aren’t affecting your life. If you’re having panic attacks and they’re negatively affecting major areas of your life, it’s time to reach out. Read on to learn more about how our team can help.
“After completing CBT Treatment for panic attacks with panic disorder, 70-90% of individuals are PANIC-FREE.”
Regain Your Freedom & Independence
Our clients often report feeling safer doing things alone, resulting a greater sense of freedom and independence. After successfully completing panic attack treatment, clients typically return to certain activities or places, such as travel, restaurants, driving, or grocery shopping, that previously felt off limits.
Rebalance Your Relationships
Our clients often report their relationships are more balanced after feeling more capable of taking back the tasks they’ve previously relied on partners or family members to handle, such as driving, grocery shopping, errands, and phone calls. With this shift, many clients describe feeling like less of a burden and family members seeming less overwhelmed and resentful.
Improve Your Health & Sleep
Panic attack treatment can potentially give you access to get back into healthy activities you may have given up due to panic symptoms - like physical activity, exercise, sex, or certain foods. Our clients who report lower anxiety levels also report improved sleep quality over time.
Boost Your Work & School Performance
Our clients often report improved performance at work and school once panic attacks, or the fear of them, are no longer causing them to call out or stay home. Panic attack treatment can also increase your confidence in taking on challenging classes or work projects without dreading what the stress might do to you.
Ready to Get Started?
Get In Touch With Us
Perhaps one of the hardest steps you’ll have to make by yourself is the first step of reaching out to us. Send us your info and we’ll take it from there, supporting you each step of the way.
Complete a Free Consult
You might be nervous about making phone calls or not sure what to say - either way we’ll walk you through it step-by-step in about 15 minutes. We like to be sure it’s a good fit first.
Have Your First Session
We’ll set up your first session with your therapist to complete your initial assessment. This helps to ensure we have a solid game plan from the get-go so you can feel confident in the process.
References:
Mattick, R., and C. Clarke. 1998. Development and Validation of Measure of Social Phobia Scrutiny Fear and Social Interaction Anxiety. Behavior Research and Therapy 36:455–70.