Issues we work with » Panic Attacks

Panic reactions are often necessary for survival. When a threat is presented to you your natural instincts kick into action.  You get a sudden adrenalin rush which gives you the strength to get out of the impending harm. When you are safe adrenalin rush subsides and your heart rate and breathing will return to normal.

When you are having a panic attack, you are having similar symptoms.  In a panic attack, the fear at times is unfounded, and your body has gone into panic-reactive mode.  

People with panic attacks  experience some of the following symptoms:

• hot and cold sweats
• dizziness
• palpitations
• breathlessness
• fear of passing out
• fear of losing control
• chest pain - fear of heart attack
• nausea
• trembling or shaking
• headaches
• speecheless

Often it can be a thought that triggers a panic attack.  The trigger can be internal or external,  things like a memory, taste, smell, place, music, event or sound can be a trigger.

There are ways to challenge your thinking around panic attacks from their onset.

There are a number of strategies and  tools we can explore together to help you to find relief from feelings of intense Anxiety and Panic:
Using CBT,  a therapist can help you to understand your thinking patterns, and how they impact your feelings and your behaviour. CBT challenges thinking. It can support you to reduce your symptoms of Panic while revisiting the situations that you fear. It is an evidence-based therapy that generally works in the present or the ‘here and now‘. CBT is supported by numerous studies to be effective in most cases in the treatment of anxiety including panic attacks.

Psychotherapy works with the underlying causes that may be contributing to your panic and anxiety. You may need to explore your past relationships, early personal difficulties and childhood development. Feelings such as anger, shame or low self-esteem may have been hidden for some time and can contribute to your anxiety and fear. A good image for Psychotherapy is an Iceberg which floats on the surface of the water. We actually only see one-third of the iceberg on the surface but two-thirds of it is hidden under the water. In Psychotherapy, we gently and respectfully explore the part under the surface.