Panic Attack Treatment
San Diego

Does your excessive anxiety frequently cause you to struggle with panic attacks? Do you suffer intense physical symptoms that leave you feeling exhausted and unsettled? Are you constantly worried about when the next panic attack may strike, so much so that you avoid situations you think may trigger one?

As if intrusive thoughts and catastrophizing about potential worst-case scenarios weren’t bad enough, suffering from high levels of anxiety can also culminate in crippling panic attacks. When a panic attack strikes, it can be paralyzing. No matter where you are or what you’re doing, you may be overcome with intense fear accompanied by incapacitating physiological symptoms, such as nausea, sweaty palms, rapid heart rate, dizziness, hot or cold flashes, muscle tension, throat tightness, and shortness of breath.

Perhaps You Avoid Anxiety-Inducing Situations

Even though a typical panic attack usually doesn’t last longer than 15 or 20 minutes, when you’re in the throes of one, it can feel much longer. And after it has passed, you may feel exhausted, irritable, overwhelmed, or discombobulated. Suddenly, whatever you’ve planned for that day may have to be postponed until you recover.

Your fear of having another panic attack may become so acute that you find yourself avoiding anything you associate with having one, whether that be social situations, traveling, crowds, or work presentations. As a result of this avoidance, your world may have grown exceedingly small. To mitigate another panic attack, you’re missing out on the things you want to do.

Whether your attacks occur monthly or daily, you probably wish you knew how to make them stop. Fortunately, there is an effective treatment for panic attacks. Therapy utilizing supported exposure can help you control your anxiety so that you can reduce the frequency of panic attacks and return to life on your terms.

Almost 5 Percent Of Americans Suffer From Panic Disorders

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), “Panic disorder, which is a type of anxiety disorder, affects about 4.7 percent of U.S. adults at some point in their lives.” [1] Often referred to as anxiety attacks, panic attacks are sometimes so acute that some sufferers have been known to end up in the emergency room, convinced they’re having a heart attack (see disclaimer below). 

Although evidence hasn’t drawn any clear conclusions to the origin of panic disorder, preliminary research suggests genetic influences as well as the brain’s neurotransmitter system being related to it. [2] Another study conducted at Stanford University revealed that the way we perceive stress can have an emotional and physical impact on us. Research showed that “viewing stress as a helpful part of life, rather than as harmful, is associated with better health, emotional well-being, and productivity at work—even during periods of high stress.” [3]

Our Fast-Paced Lifestyles Often Exacerbate Anxiety And Panic Disorder

Given the hectic nature of modern life, it’s no wonder that so many of us experience anxiety, which can lead to panic attacks. We often face many responsibilities, including financial, professional, familial, and social commitments. This combined pressure has the potential of causing us ongoing worry and fear of failure.

What may compound our stress is self-imposed pressure that was instilled from an early age. We may have been raised with the expectation to succeed and achieve all we set out to accomplish. When we fall short, the self-criticism we turn on ourselves can heighten our anxiety, increasing the likelihood of panic attacks.

But even if you don’t understand what is causing your anxiety, panic attack treatment can help. With therapy, you can learn how to work with your anxiety instead of against it so your emotional distress will no longer culminate in panic attacks.

Treatment Can Help Reduce The Frequency And Intensity Of Panic Attacks

If you have tried everything you can think of to stop your anxiety and panic attacks, you may be at the end of your rope. Perhaps you’ve already implemented a self-care regime—including regular exercise, a healthy diet, good sleep habits, and relaxation exercises—but have seen no improvement. Or maybe traditional talk therapy hasn’t helped.

What we offer is a different way of thinking about anxiety that isn’t necessarily intuitive. While your anxiety wants you to avoid distress at all costs, this avoidant behavior can inadvertently reinforce anxiety, causing it to become more severe. With panic attack treatment, you will have a safe and supportive space to confront your anxiety so you can chip away at the fears that have long held you back. Rather than continue to live this way, the work you do in therapy can lead to long-term transformation that reduces the intensity and frequency of panic attacks.

What To Expect In Sessions

Initially, we won’t rush through getting to know each other and allowing you ample time to describe your challenges to me. I’ll be interested in finding out more about the nature of your panic attacks and whether or not certain situations trigger them. Even if their origin can’t be traced back to anything specific, we can still effectively work to reduce them.

After a thorough assessment, we will provide you with psychoeducation, learning tools, and coping skills that, piece by piece, enable you to regain control over your anxiety. Throughout treatment, you will gradually shift into the mindset that you don’t “suffer from” anxiety, allowing you to live your life without the constant fear of the next panic attack. Treatment is not a one-size-fits-all approach but, rather, an individualized plan to help you get your life back on track.

Utilizing Effective Modalities For Panic Attack Treatment

The focus of treatment for panic disorder will be to utilize effective evidence-based modalities for managing symptoms. Primarily, we will incorporate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for panic attacks. Because our thoughts influence how we feel as well as our behavior, CBT examines thinking patterns that fuel anxiety and works toward changing them. By taking a supported and measured approach to step-by-step exposure therapy, you can gradually reduce avoidant tendencies and normalize the situations that cause anxiety. Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable can help you get unstuck from living in constant fear.

In addition, mindfulness approaches, self compassion skills and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), can be helpful for mitigating panic attacks. By accepting anxiety for what it is, you can change your relationship with it. Rather than being afraid of experiencing anxiety, you can let go of the struggle, allowing yourself to feel more in control. Using each of these tools, you can learn how to effectively manage your panic disorder and no longer be negatively impacted by it. 

But Maybe You’re Not Sure If Panic Attack Treatment Is Right For You…

I previously tried talk therapy for my panic attacks but it didn’t help.

It can be frustrating when the anxiety attack treatment you thought would help isn’t effective. I have worked with many clients over the years who had the same experience. However, addressing high levels of anxiety requires a specialized approach. As a therapist with experience treating panic disorders and anxiety attacks, I have helped many clients decrease their symptoms and overcome their struggles. With the right treatment, I feel confident you can heal, too.

I feel so overwhelmed all the time that it seems impossible for me to get out of the endless loop of anxiety I’m stuck in.

When you’re in the throes of anxiety, it’s hard to imagine what it’s like to live any other way. But panic attack treatment offers hope. Utilizing evidence-based therapy—such as CBT, ACT, or ERP for panic disorder—you can learn to overcome your anxiety attacks that may seem insurmountable at the moment.

Will treatment be helpful if my panic attacks come out of nowhere and I don’t understand what triggers them?

The good news about therapy is that we don't always need to know why your panic attacks occur to help you reduce their frequency. We can effectively work together to decrease your panic attacks in treatment, whether or not we understand what causes them. Regardless of their origin, we can help you get them under control. 

You Can Regain Control Of Your Life

If you could overcome panic attacks on your own, you would have by now. Why not try a new approach? If you are ready to take the first step in getting treatment for your panic attacks, please contact us  so we can set up a free,15-minute consultation today.