Treatment for Panic Attacks

Panic attacks are more common than you think. Up to 15% of Australians have a panic attack at some stage in their life. Psychological treatment can help you overcome this anxiety disorder.

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What is a Panic Attack?

A panic attack is an episode in which you may overwhelmingly feel intense fear and anxiety and experience physical symptoms of anxiety. It generally starts suddenly and manifests through both physical symptoms and thoughts.

Symptoms of a Panic Attack

The physiological reactions that people with panic disorder become fearful of are caused by the body’s natural alarm system when it believes it is under attack – the fight-flight-freeze response.

The symptoms of panic result from changes the body makes to increase your chance of survival if a predator attacks you. For example, the increase in heart rate allows more blood and oxygen to be pumped around the body. Similarly, the feelings of nausea and dry mouth are due to reduced activity in the digestive system, which allows more energy to be diverted to fight/flight systems. We naturally begin searching for threats with our attention, and because no external threat exists, we then interpret our body symptoms in a catastrophic way – “I must be dying/having a heart attack/losing control/going crazy”.

Panic attack symptoms can happen at any time and usually develop rapidly. Panic episodes can leave you feeling exhausted. Some of the symptoms include:

heart palpitations
dizziness
sweating
feelings of choking
feeling short of breath
trembling or shaking
chest pain
nausea
feeling that you are not experiencing yourself or reality normally
fear of losing control or going crazy
fear of dying
chills and hot flushes
tingling in the fingers and toes.

Panic Attacks, Panic Disorder & Agoraphobia

Having an isolated panic attack does not necessarily mean that you have a panic disorder. People with panic disorder experience repeated panic attacks to the point that they disrupt their life. People with panic disorder also live in constant fear of having another panic attack and start changing their behaviours and start avoiding certain places.

Although panic attacks can occur when a person comes into contact with a particular situation, such as public speaking, they can also occur out of the blue. When these keep happening, and the person has become fearful of them occurring again, they may be diagnosed by a mental health practitioner as having panic disorder. Some people are affected so much by the fear of another unexpected panic attack that they may start to avoid certain situations that they perceive as places where they may panic and be unable to escape or get help (e.g. crowds, public transport, elevators). This avoidance is called agoraphobia.

Treatment for Panic Attacks & Panic Disorder

Treatment options are available to help you reduce the intensity and frequency of panic attacks as well as enhance your overall wellbeing. The most popular evidence-based treatment options are CBT Therapy with a psychologist and medication. Depending on your specific circumstances, the severity of your symptoms, and how they impact your daily functioning, one or both treatment options may be recommended.

1. Psychological Treatment for Panic Attacks

Psychological treatment with a qualified and experienced psychologist using evidence-based methods is considered an effective option for the treatment of panic attacks and panic disorders. A psychologist can help you gain a better understanding of panic attacks and teach you strategies to cope with them.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy or CBT Therapy for panic disorder and agoraphobia is a proven method used by psychologists to treat anxiety disorders such as panic attacks and panic disorder. It begins with this initial understanding and teaches you how to challenge your thinking about your symptoms.

Through the use of CBT Therapy, your psychologist will help you overcome fears of the situations that trigger panic attacks. Exposure to the symptoms can help you tolerate these feelings in a safe and controlled environment to build a belief that the symptoms cannot hurt you or result in a loss of control. You are then helped to re-enter the places you have been avoiding.

Other methods, such as stress management, mindfulness-based therapies and relaxation techniques, are often recommended to relieve the symptoms of panic attacks.

2. Medication for Panic Attacks

Panic disorder treatment may require medication besides psychoeducation, breathing and relaxation techniques, and CBT Therapy with a psychologist.

Medication can help ease or reduce the symptoms of panic attacks, depression and anxiety. Different types of medications can effectively manage your symptoms.

Once you start medical treatment for anxiety and panic attacks, it can take several weeks for you to notice its effects. Medication has a risk of side effects, and your doctor may not recommend this option to you. You must consult your GP or psychiatrist to know whether medication is a suitable option and which type would be most suitable for you.