Do you ever experience an unexpected moment of sudden panic or anxiety? Have you ever encountered a circumstance that caused you to experience extreme fear along with sweating, trembling, or shaking? If yes, you probably had a panic attack. Always remember that panic attacks are not dangerous and are reasonably common. According to the NIMH, 4.7% of American adults have panic disorder at some point.
Panic attacks are not necessarily a sign that you're mentally unwell. But if your anxiety about getting another panic attack becomes so intense that it is affecting your daily life, you should seek help. Although panic attack therapy can assist with all of them, many patients choose not to use it. Recognizing the issue and seeking assistance are the first steps in the healing process. Receive a personalized treatment plan for your panic disorder to reduce symptoms and improve your mental well-being.
What do you mean by Panic and Panic Attacks?
The most severe type of anxiety is panic. An individual in a state of panic may experience anxiety, disorientation, or act erratically as a response to a perceived threat, such as an environmental catastrophe or the potential for a plane crash. Panic disorder is defined by a dread of having a panic attack, particularly in public places. Panic attacks can occasionally originate from anxiety.
Physical and mental symptoms are typically present during panic attacks. Panic attack fears might grow so strong that they start to hurt your actions. For instance, you might start to worry about having a panic attack while driving. Following that, you will refrain from driving or engaging in crowded activities. A different condition known as agoraphobia is brought on by such activities.
What is Agoraphobia?
Agoraphobia is a panic condition marked by a severe and unreasonable worry of being unable to escape a challenging or uncomfortable situation. Agoraphobia symptoms include fear of leaving the house, and afraid of retail malls, bridges, or open spaces.
What Could be the Symptoms of Panic Attack?
Typically, a panic episode starts abruptly and without warning. Usually, symptoms peak in a matter of minutes, and when they do, you could feel exhausted. Chest pain and breathing issues brought on by panic attacks may prompt individuals to seek medical attention. People who suffer from panic disorder may have,
- Anxiety and dread attacks that come on suddenly and repeatedly
- A panic attack is characterized by a sense of fear of dying or approaching disaster.
- severe fear of having another panic attack soon
- a phobia or avoidance of locations where panic attacks have previously happened
- Physical signs of a panic attack include a rapid or pounding heart, Sweating, Chills, Trembling, etc.,
Panic Attacks: What Sets Them Off?
A situational element that increases the risk of having a panic attack is having a bad mood. The overall amount of anxiety a person has, in comparison, is a less obvious element that might increase the risk of panic attacks no matter the situation.
Although there are specific triggers for panic attacks, individual traits and experiences should be taken into consideration to discover and comprehend these triggers.
Effective Therapy Techniques for Managing Panic Attacks
A panic attack is frequently treated with psychological therapies. The best therapy methods for controlling panic episodes are listed below.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
CBT is the most widely used and successful psychotherapy for managing panic attacks. Why CBT is the most successful panic attack therapy? Because of its goal-oriented concentration, and prompt outcomes. CBT can help those who have agoraphobia or panic disorder and also helps you to learn how to control the symptoms. You can learn to effectively manage your symptoms even if it's beyond your control.
In CBT therapy for panic attacks, your therapist will assist you in uncovering the harmful cognitions and thought patterns, such as how you feel when you have panic attacks, how you see yourself, etc. You can start to identify your regular patterns of thinking and how they affect your behaviors once you start paying attention to the mental process. The CBT exercises and activities like Desensitization, journal writing, and skill building will then teach you to identify your negative ideas as well as to substitute them with more constructive ones.
Panic-Focused Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
The goal of panic-focused psychodynamic psychotherapy (PFPP) is to identify earlier events and emotional conflicts that may have influenced how you develop anxiety and panic attacks. This panic attack therapy is a method of treating panic disorder based on specific psychoanalytic ideas.
These theories typically presuppose that early relationship experiences have a lasting impact on a person and that certain symptoms and behaviors of the present are the results of unconscious motivations and psychological conflicts. Painful emotions are hidden in the subconscious mind. The PFPP assists a person in identifying unconscious conflicts, particularly those involving anger, and resolving them in less apprehensive and more positive ways.
Exposure Therapy
A behavioral therapy called exposure therapy is frequently used to help persons with panic attacks and anxiety problems. It entails you confronting your fears, whether they are genuine or imagined, in a safe setting while being guided by a skilled panic disorder therapist. Anxiety or panic might reduce over time with controlled exposure to a trigger by a reliable person in a secure environment.
In vivo exposure, imaginal exposure, Virtual reality exposure, and Interoceptive exposure are the various forms of exposure therapy. This type of panic attack therapy is believed to be beneficial in a number of ways, including emotional processing, extinction, self-efficacy, and habituation.
Group Therapy
It is one of the successful therapy for treating panic attacks. The facilitators are in charge of organizing the group's activities, choosing the group's topic or objectives, and setting the group's general course.
For the treatment of panic disorders, group therapy has numerous advantages. You can develop your skills in a supportive environment through group therapy, which gives you a sense of belonging. Working on challenges in a collaborative environment may be quite inspiring. Sharing ideas and seeing others succeed can inspire group members.
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
An intervention-focused therapy for panic attacks is rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). It teaches you how to control your thoughts, feelings, and actions in a better, more sane manner. It assists you to overcome erroneous beliefs.
To assist you to identify and change negative thought patterns and get over psychological issues and mental distress, panic attack therapy REBT will be employed by your therapist. Troubleshooting, change in thinking, and coping are the three basic methods of REBT. Without personal effort, personal improvement is not possible, and REBT's effectiveness largely rests on this.
Lifestyle Changes to Manage Panic Attacks in Addition to Panic Attack Therapy
Your lifestyle decisions could have an impact on your mental health. Although altering these behaviors may not totally cure a mental health issue, they may be a vital tool in managing your symptoms.
- Reduce your coffee intake because it makes you more 'jumpy' and exacerbates the effects of stress. Use a coffee alternative and additional herbal tea.
- Every day for 30 minutes, go for a brisk walk if you can't make it to the gym.
- Spend some time each day unwinding to prevent anxiety and tension from taking control of you.
- Participate in stress-reduction exercises like yoga and try some art therapies
Final Thoughts
Combating panic episodes requires effective stress management. The detrimental effects of chronic stress can be lessened by talking about stress and taking periodic breaks and leisure time. Panic attacks are common in people who become so overwhelmed by stress that they are unable to manage it.
With the help of panic attack therapy, your symptoms can be properly identified, treated, & managed. At LifeBulb, to aid in your recovery, our panic disorder therapist collaborates closely with you and creates a stress treatment plan for you. Take the first, most important step towards your recovery and work towards your mental wellness for a happy life.
