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Panic Disorder Treatment

Panic Disorder Treatment

Do Body Sensations And The Fear Of Panic Attacks Control Your Life?

Have you found yourself worrying about having a panic attack, dying, or losing control? Maybe you are overly aware of when you have shortness of breath, lightheadedness, an accelerated heart rate, or chest pains. Or perhaps the fear of these symptoms has made it harder for you to leave your house, go places, or drive.

Panic disorder is a mental health condition characterized by unexpected, persistent panic attacks and significant worry about future attacks or how additional attacks could cause harm. During a panic attack, you typically experience a quick rise of intense discomfort or fear along with a variety of physical symptoms.

Agoraphobia Adds Another Layer To Panic Disorder

Agoraphobia is a separate but related anxiety disorder that can co-occur with panic attacks. It is marked by anxiety or fear about situations that make escape difficult or in which help may not be available, such as being in enclosed (or wide open) spaces, in crowds, or alone outside the home.

Like many other individuals with panic disorder (and especially those with agoraphobia), you may have changed your lifestyle in order to decrease the chance of having a panic attack or experiencing the symptoms that bring about distress. This might include always knowing the fasted way to the hospital or doctor, restricting physical exercise, or refusing to go back to places where you experienced previous attacks.

Fortunately, with help from a panic attack specialist, you can learn how to change your relationship with your body sensations and reduce avoidance. Treatment at The OCD & Anxiety Center can help you learn better management of your panic attacks and anxiety and reclaim your life.

Body Sensations Can Be Uncomfortable, But They Are Not Dangerous

Many individuals overuse the word “panic attack.” But for those that experience them, it is a feeling that they try to avoid. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) reports that 2-3% of Americans experience panic disorder every year and that it is two times more likely to occur in women than in men.*

Panic disorder can impact people in many aspects of their life, including missing work, attending frequent doctor appointments, and avoiding feared places. Individuals with agoraphobia experience an even greater impact on their life.

You Are Not Alone

While anxiety is something that everyone can connect with, it is so easy to feel alone in your personal battle. Though we cannot say with exact certainty why one person develops an anxiety disorder (or panic disorder, in particular), we do know that there is a combination of biological and behavioral factors.

Since panic disorder is not as well known as other mental health issues, you may be reluctant to get treatment because you might be afraid to tell people, and therefore, you suffer in silence. But treatment at The OCD & Anxiety Center, with a panic disorder therapist, can break this cycle and assist you in resuming your desired daily activities.

Remember, you’re not alone on this journey.

Panic Disorder Treatment Can Help Change Your Relationship With Anxiety

While changes in lifestyle and aspects of avoidance can bring about a short-term solution for panic attacks, they can conversely have a larger impact on levels of distress in the long run. Paradoxically, this avoidance also increases the likelihood of future panic attacks.

At The OCD & Anxiety Center, our panic attack therapists can help you explore when your relationship with anxiety began, work with you to remove areas of avoidance, and assist you in developing skills to reduce anxiety’s impact.

What To Expect From Therapy for Panic Attacks

While changes in lifestyle and aspects of avoidance can bring about a short-term solution for panic attacks, they can conversely have a larger impact on levels of distress in the long run. Paradoxically, this avoidance also increases the likelihood of future panic attacks.

At The OCD & Anxiety Center, our panic attack therapists can help you explore when your relationship with anxiety began, work with you to remove areas of avoidance, and assist you in developing skills to reduce anxiety’s impact.

Panic Disorder Treatment Methods

At The OCD & Anxiety Center, we strive to provide the most evidence-based treatment possible. The gold standard treatment for Panic Disorder is a type of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure Therapy called Interoceptive Exposure which consists of purposely facing your fears related to your bodily symptoms over and over again in a graduated manner.

During exposure therapy sessions, your therapist will educate you about your disorder and what maintains panic attacks. You will learn that your body is noisy and creates many symptoms that do not need to be feared. And with interoceptive exposures, you will be able to practice facing your feared bodily sensations on purpose with the help of your panic attack therapist.

The more you face your bodily sensations, the less you will fear them. Over time, by completing interoceptive exposures and exposing yourself to the sensations you fear, you will learn that they are uncomfortable but not dangerous and be able to face them at home and in public situations.

Using CBT for panic disorder, your therapist will also teach you skills to challenge and adapt the faulty beliefs that you have about your feared bodily sensations. You will be able to identify that your brain is tricking you into believing that your physical sensations are dangerous and must be avoided when, in fact, they are harmless.

Through the combination of exposure therapy and CBT, you will learn to face your panic while decreasing your avoidance. CBT treatment is time-limited and goal-oriented, and you will notice progress relatively quickly. This will gradually help you to enjoy many more aspects of your life.

Perhaps You Are Considering Panic Attack Treatment But Still Have Some Concerns…

What if therapy is too difficult?

A panic attack specialist will work with you to collaboratively develop your treatment plan. We will be by your side every step of the way. Our goal is to help you be successful, so we will start where you are comfortable and help you practice to gradually face fears from there. You will quickly see that you can handle it and that, with repetition, it gets easier. We will also teach you skills so that you can better tolerate discomfort and learn how to face things that seem hard.

What if therapy makes me worse?

Interoceptive Exposure and CBT are evidenced-based treatments. At the Center, we see that people tend to get better relatively quickly. It may feel scary to face your panic attack symptoms, but as you get used to them and see they are not dangerous, your anxiety will decrease. And if you don’t see progress, we will know relatively quickly as well and work to tweak the treatment plan or provide other recommendations.

I have a busy schedule. What if we cannot find a time that works?

Therapy is a commitment. We realize that you may have a lot on your plate and that it can be hard to find time and space for something else, but we will make every effort to try to find a time that works with your schedule. The fact that all of our clinicians have different office hours should make this easier. Also, keep in mind this is a time-limited therapy—meaning you can make a lot of progress in a short amount of time, so the time commitment does not need to be ongoing.

You Can Live a Life Free of Panic Attacks

If feelings of panic and catastrophic thought patterns are controlling your life, exposure therapy for panic disorder at The OCD & Anxiety Center can offer you the right tools to get your life back. To address further concerns or schedule an appointment, please call us at (630) 522-3124 or email us at info@theocdandanxietycenter.com.

If you would like additional information, please consider reading our newsletter or blog as well.

 

*https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/panic-disorder