CBT for Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder
“I was walking through the grocery store, when I suddenly began to feel like everything was closing in on me. My heart started racing, and I felt like I was going to fall off the face of the earth. I just had to get away. I left my cart behind and ran out to my car, where I laid down on the seat until the feeling passed. Since then, I’ve avoided the grocery store and other crowded public places. I just want to keep this from happening again.”
Many people will experience a panic attack at some point in their lives. A panic attack is a short-lasting, intense bout of anxiety, usually lasting less than ten minutes. During a panic attack, you may feel overwhelmed with anxiety or fear. You may suffer from strong unpleasant physical sensations, such as blurred vision, shortness of breath, or dizziness. You may experience the urge to flee the scene. And, you may interpret these feelings to mean that you are going to become very ill or die.
Panic attacks can occur in any number of situations. They may occur in a crowded theater, while driving on the freeway, in social situations , while exercising, or any number of situations. Many people misinterpret panic attacks for purely medical problems, such as strokes and heart attacks, and panic disorder sufferers frequently visit emergency rooms, sometimes repeatedly.
Experiencing a panic attack may lead to panic disorder, which is a serious, distressing, and relatively common condition (affecting an estimated 2.7% of Americans in a given year). Individuals with panic disorder suffer from panic attacks. They then go on to worry about having further attacks, and begin to avoid situations that may lead to anxiety. This can lead to a severely restricted range of life activities, and may be quite debilitating.
Fortunately, panic disorder is a well understood and highly treatable disorder. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for panic disorder is a time-limited, highly effective, and highly structured approach that aims to help you reduce your anxiety and regain the life you have been avoiding. In CBT, your therapist will begin by helping you to identify the situations and bodily sensations that trigger your panic attacks. This will help you cut through the fog of anxiety and mystery that surrounds these experiences. Your therapist will then coach you through a series of exercises that will help you to better understand and tolerate the sensations that previously led to panic attacks. Finally, your therapist will help you craft a plan to take back your life by re-entering situations that you may have avoided in the past.
If you think you may have been experiencing panic attacks or panic disorder, contact us to schedule an assessment.
Contact us to schedule an appointment by calling 650-461-9026 or use the form in the sidebar on the left (we actively monitor these responses).
