A panic attack typically comes on suddenly. While it may be precipitated by overwhelming stress, a panic attack is unpredictable, although the anxiety that climaxes in panic may have been present for a long time. Panic attacks last only a short while (5 to 30 minutes) and may occur only once in a lifetime or as often as several times each day. Attacks often have an obvious trigger (a frightening event, place, person, or memory, for instance), they may also seem to occur for no reason, nevertheless, most therapists believe that panic attacks do generally have an explanation that can be discovered and addressed. What causes panic attacks is not clear, but it is believed that some individuals may have a genetic predisposition to panic, and that certain stressors in life can also contribute by triggering panic attacks.
Often frightening and upsetting, a panic attack can produce sudden, extreme fear and discomfort and can be otherwise physically intense and overwhelming. Panic attacks usually include some of the following sensations and experiences:

  • Trembling
  • Shortness of breath, choking sensations
  • Racing heart, heart palpitations, chest pain
  • Nausea, dizziness, fainting
  • Racing thoughts
  • Tunnel vision
  • Numbness in the extremities
  • Frightening thoughts, especially of death
  • Extreme restlessness
  • Pacing
  • Tension in the muscles
  • Believing one is losing control or losing a sense of reality
  • Feeling detached from one’s body

Panic attacks are relatively common, and about 30% of people have had at least one panic attack in their life. Because of the severity of physical symptoms, many people go to the hospital thinking they are having a heart attack when they have their first panic attack.

Although panic attacks seem to come on suddenly, people can sometimes anticipate them. An individual diagnosed with panic disorder, for example, may experience both expected attacks and unexpected attacks, but for the condition to be diagnosed, both unexpected, recurrent attacks and a persistent fear of attacks occurring are necessary. People with other anxiety issues or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may also regularly experience panic attacks.

Counselling for Panic Attacks:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): The focus of this approach is importance of both behavioral and thought processes in understanding and controlling anxiety and panic attacks. The focus of treatment is on inadequate, obstructive, and damaging behaviors and irrational thought processes that contribute to the continuation of symptoms.

Cognitive Behavior Modification: This modality focuses on identifying dysfunctional self-talk and narratives to change unwanted behaviors.

Panic disorder, agoraphobia, or other anxiety disorders often result in certain thought patterns and behaviors that may hinder recovery. Although this modification to cognitive behavioral therapy doesn’t have the database of some of these other approaches to support its efficacy in the specific treatment of panic disorder. If you change your self-talk and narrative, how you react to anxiety-provoking situations will likely change too.

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT): This intervention strategy is a cognitive behavioral technique is known to be effective for the treatment a variety of anxiety disorders. The cognitive and behavioral techniques used in REBT have demonstrated effectiveness in treating panic disorder.

Panic-Focused Psychodynamic Therapy (PFPP): This intervention is associated with form of treatment for panic disorder based on certain psychoanalytic concepts. In general, these concepts assume that people are shaped by early relationship experiences and that unconscious motives and psychological conflicts are at the core of certain current symptoms and behavior. The unconscious mind, or subconscious, is a hiding place for painful emotions. Defence mechanisms keep these painful emotions hidden, however if these painful emotions can be brought into the conscious mind, they can be dealt with more adaptively and the symptoms of panic disorder and associated behaviors can be eliminated or reduced.

Along with these interventions certain relaxation techniques and mindfulness practices can regulate panic attack and help manage the symptoms of the panic attacks.

At C2C Psychotherapy and Counselling services we work by using interventions which are helpful in managing panic attacks. Book your appointment at C2C Psychotherapy and Counselling for a free consultation.