Panic Attack Therapy

Understanding Panic Attacks

A panic attack is a sudden feeling of anxiety, fear, and discomfort. The symptoms can often be mistaken for a heart attack due to strong physical symptoms such as rapid heart rate, shallow breathing, chest pain, and feelings of dread and fear.

Impacts on Your Life

Panic attacks can have a significant impact on how you navigate your daily life as well as your decision-making process. You may find yourself constantly worrying and feeling hopeless about the inevitability of another attack.

You may shy away from social interactions for fear of experiencing this intense form of anxiety in a public place. Your relationships, social life, and work-life might have felt the toll.

Some consequences of panic attacks include:

• Decreased work performance due to difficulty concentrating and making decisions
• Limited social interactions for fear of having a panic attack in a public place
• Challenges with daily responsibilities, such as grocery shopping or performing self-care
• Missed opportunities for personal and professional growth due to a fear of an attack

Panic attacks can significantly affect your professional, social, and family life. Overcoming panic attacks begins with understanding how the nervous system operates. At Evolve, we assist you in understanding your body so you can change your reactions to stressors.

After some time, you may begin to notice physical health changes due to recurring attacks, such as fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, and digestive problems.

Understanding your signs and symptoms is an important first step in finding the right treatment. Although panic attacks can be distressing and often feel like a heart attack, they are not life-threatening. It is important to remember that there is effective evidence-based treatment available.

At Evolve Therapy & Counseling, our goal is to help you identify specific strategies for regulating your nervous system that you can incorporate into your daily life, helping you to manage anxiety and panic attacks.

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is characterized by recurring panic attacks that disrupt daily life and functioning.

Symptoms of a panic disorder include:

• Heart palpitations
• Sweating
• Trembling and shaking
• Difficulty breathing
• Feelings of choking
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Nausea or abdominal pain
• Feeling dizzy, lightheaded, unsteady, or faint
• Cold or hot flashes
• Numbness or tingling
• Derealization or depersonalization
• Fear of losing control
• Fear of dying or going crazy
• Worry about additional attacks
• Behavior trying to avoid other attacks

To be diagnosed with panic disorder, the symptoms must meet the following criteria:

• Anxiety or worry about future attacks or their consequences
• Behavioral change, such as avoiding activities or situations
• The disturbance is not better explained by substance use or another mental disorder

The frequency and severity of attacks can vary from person to person. Most people who are diagnosed with panic disorder experience consequences in various areas of life, such as social and professional challenges. 

Panic Attack Causes

Panic attacks can happen when your body’s radar system, which scans for danger, becomes overly active. This heightened sensitivity is common if you have experienced many stressful or dangerous situations in the past. As a result, your body learns to remain on high alert all the time, requiring less external stimulus to trigger anxiety or a protective response.

Some other causes may include:

• Trauma: Experiencing traumatic events, especially repeatedly, can cause side effects such as negative beliefs and feeling unsafe, which may lead to symptoms of anxiety.
• Stress: Stressful events or life transitions can increase stress sensitivity, making you more responsive to triggers.
• Substance use: Using various drugs can accelerate certain mental illnesses by altering the brain chemistry.
• Phobias: Specific fears are likely to trigger panic and anxious thoughts.

There are many other causes and combinations of causes of panic attacks. A therapist at Evolve can help you identify triggers and healthy coping skills. 

Diagnosing Panic Attacks

A licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist can diagnose panic attacks and panic disorder.

Panic disorder can be diagnosed by:

• Interview: Your therapist may ask you some questions about your life, patterns, and frequency of anxiety.
• Diagnostic criteria: A therapist will use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria for diagnosis. This includes experiencing unexpected and recurrent attacks, with the fear and avoidance of attacks for at least one month.

If you believe you have panic disorder or panic attacks, a counselor at Evolve can help you regulate your nervous system so you are no longer controlled by them.

Comorbidity

Panic attacks are commonly experienced alongside other mental health co-occurring disorders, such as:

• Depression: Experiencing both the attacks themselves and the fear of a future attack can have severe consequences on your ability to experience positive emotions, which can lead to depressive symptoms.
• Physical health conditions: Our mental health can often affect our physical health. Mental health disorders can affect multiple systems such as the nervous system, cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal system, and more.
• Sleep issues: As sleep is the foundation of mental and physical health, addressing sleep issues is an important part of treatment planning.
• Relationship issues: Experiencing regular panic attacks can lead to social anxiety and isolation and vice versa.
• Professional challenges: Your performance at work can be affected by both the experience and fear of another attack.

During your sessions, we want to make sure to address all areas of comorbidity so you’re not just managing one symptom, but addressing the root cause. 

Treatment for Panic Attacks

Most people try to manage panic attacks in the moment by focusing on their breathing and calming down. While this can provide temporary relief, it doesn’t address the underlying responses of your body to external stimuli for future occurrences.

Effective treatment for panic attacks must go beyond just coping strategies during an episode. It involves working with your nervous system and body to expand your window of tolerance and learn how to return to your baseline more quickly.

“At Evolve, all our therapist are trained in the Sovereign Body Method to help you system become less reactive.” – Liz Chelak, LCSW, CCTSI, CRPS

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is a great choice of behavioral therapy as it is an extremely effective approach due to its concrete skills and tools for more adaptive perspective shifts.

According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine (NIH), participants experienced clinically significant reductions in panic disorder symptoms, anxious thoughts, and depression after one month of CBT. Participants also experienced a continued improvement in panic symptoms at 4 weeks of post-treatment and 6-month follow-up (Lim, 2018).

Exposure Therapy

According to research published in APA PsychNet, “exposure therapy has been found to be highly effective in the treatment of panic disorder and agoraphobia, producing reductions in panic attack frequency, anticipatory anxiety, and avoidance behavior” (Craske, M. G., & Mystkowski, J. L. (2006).

Medication

In some cases, medications can be effective. Some commonly prescribed medications include:

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): These medications regulate serotonin levels in the brain to help decrease anxiety.
• Benzodiazepines: These medications can help make the nervous system less active, however, they can be habit-forming.

Speak to your medical provider to see which medication may be right for you. It is important to note that medication works best when used in combination with talk therapy.

Before beginning or discontinuing any medication, it is crucial to conduct a holistic assessment with the goal of managing stress, improving sleep, adopting a healthy diet, and participating in physical activity as this can have a large effect on your well-being.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of being aware of what is happening around you and within you without getting overwhelmed by it. In the context of panic attacks, mindfulness isn’t about sitting still and remaining calm. Instead, it is most effective when practiced regularly, allowing you to notice your body’s signals before anxiety arises so that you can learn to release those feelings.

In the Sovereign Body Method, mindfulness isn’t used to calm you down; it’s used to recognize what is happening within you so your body doesn’t escalate into panic because you’ve been ignoring yourself for so long.

Finding the Right Counselor

Not every therapist or approach is right for everyone. If you’re struggling with panic attacks, you don’t need someone simply telling you to calm down or insisting that there’s nothing to worry about. Additionally, generic tools that don’t address your specific situation won’t help reduce your panic attacks.

The right counselor has a structured plan to help you connect with yourself. This involves understanding why you experience panic attacks, learning how to lower your baseline anxiety before they occur, and gaining self-awareness. This self-understanding is your greatest strength, as it empowers you more than someone simply dictating what you should do.

You need someone who understands how trauma and anxiety go hand in hand. Approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help with the thoughts and behaviors associated with panic attacks, but typically, alone, it is not enough. The right counselor should have knowledge and practices associated with the nervous system. You want to make sure you see real change, instead of repeating the narrative that leads to anxiety.

Our therapists in Brickell, Downtown Miami, and West Palm Beach go beyond addressing presenting concerns. They take into account all areas of your life and help you regulate your nervous system. 

Setting Goals and Expectations

The goal isn’t just to cope better with panic attacks; it’s to recalibrate your nervous system so that it doesn’t perceive threats as often when there are none. We want to provide your nervous system with evidence of safety, allowing you to stop feeling panic when there’s no actual danger.

We begin by helping you regulate your emotions in safe, non-anxiety-provoking situations. Once you feel more comfortable with that, we assist you in addressing your feelings as they arise and releasing them through somatic practices.

Through this work, you should notice actual shifts in how you respond to situations that used to trigger anxiety or panic. You’ll learn to recognize what you need and provide it for yourself more quickly.

Success Stories

Through the Sovereign Body Method, clients start to experience the following benefits:

• Increased connection and awareness of their bodies
• Greater control over their emotions
• Freedom from structuring their lives to avoid triggers
• Enhanced confidence in managing stress
• A general sense of grounding and stability

The goal of this method is to help you not be controlled by your emotions or situations in your life.

This approach enables you to become the leader of your own life, reducing your dependence on others, including your therapist, for advice. By learning to listen to the signals your body is sending you, you’ll be better equipped to navigate your experiences independently.

Panic Disorder Help Near Me

If you’re searching for panic disorder help near you, you’re probably tired of constantly waiting for the next unexpected panic attack.

At Evolve Therapy & Counseling in Brickell, Downtown Miami, and West Palm Beach, we offer structured nervous system-based therapy to change how your body reacts to stress.

How to Find a Therapist Offering Panic Disorder Treatment in Your Area

If you’re seeking panic disorder help nearby, here are a few tips:

• Reach out to friends and family for recommendations.
• Search online for “panic disorder treatment near me,” “panic disorder therapist near me,” and “panic disorder specialist near me.”
• Read reviews of local panic disorder therapists online and schedule consultations to get to know more about them.

Our therapists at Evolve specialize in helping clients:

• Feel safe in their bodies,
• Learn to use their feelings without being ruled by them
• Let go of negative, unhelpful patterns
• Create the lives they want

Contact us today to schedule a complimentary consultation to learn more about how the Sovereign Body Method can help you overcome panic attacks.

Therapy Duration

There is no “one-size-fits-all-all” regarding the duration of therapy. This will be a decision made between you and your therapist. Many people feel an improvement in their symptoms after just a few sessions, however still choose to continue therapy sessions due to seeing significant benefit in all areas of their lives from a professional level of support. Others may require more sessions to address and work through more complex issues.

To learn more about how much is therapy at our center in Brickell, Downtown Miami, and West Palm Beach, call us at (786) 522-2376.

You don’t have to keep living with panic attacks. Our proven panic attack treatment methods in Brickell, Downtown Miami, and West Palm Beach are here to help you get back in control of your life. Sessions are available virtually or in person – contact us now to change how you respond to situations that once caused anxiety.