Panic Attacks, Panic Disorder, and Agoraphobia
No one deserves to experience recurrent panic attacks. Luckily, effective treatments are out there.
Panic attacks SUCK.
It is estimated that 20-30% percent of people have either had or will have a panic attack during their lifetime. For many of these people, panic attacks are not a major part of their life. They may have one or two, but otherwise will not experience symptoms chronically. However, for a smaller subset of folks, these symptoms become a recurring problem. When panic attacks become severe enough to cause disruptions in an individual’s life (interfering with work, school, relationships, and valued activities), then a diagnosis of Panic Disorder is often warranted.
What are the symptoms of panic attacks and panic disorder?
How is panic disorder treated?
During a panic attack, individuals will often feel like their bodies are out of their control and their nervous system is stuck in overdrive. Shortness of breath, dizziness, tingling, numbness, uncomfortable sensations in the throat and chest, depersonalization and derealization, and sweating are often accompanied by an overwhelming urge to escape (from the symptoms themselves or from an external trigger - like a particularly stressful situation or environment).
One thing that differentiates panic disorder from other anxiety disorders is the degree of inward focus on the body and physical sensations. For other anxiety-related issues, a person’s fears and worries are a bit more externally-oriented (I’m worried about that thing/person/situation/event over there). For panic attack sufferers, their fears and worries are more oriented around bodily sensations and other internal experiences.
People struggling with panic disorder typically fear the sensations that accompany their panic attacks. They worry that the uncomfortable panic feelings are dangerous in some way, and will therefore often avoid any activity that might bring on those sensations. For example, if someone tends to experience a rapid heartbeat, chest tightness, and shortness of breath when panicking, they will understandably want to avoid activities like exercise that can bring on those sensations. This fear of anxiety sensations is called anxiety sensitivity. (For a more thorough explanation, check out this podcast episode featuring the wonderful Carl Robbins, an expert in the field of anxiety treatment).
The problem is that fighting these sensations when they first show up tends to make the problem worse, and things can escalate rather quickly (Panic attack sufferers, you know this firsthand!)
Fortunately, physical symptoms like shortness of breath, chest tightness, and other sensations that may accompany intense anxiety are not dangerous. Therefore, clients can learn, through both education and firsthand experience, to respond to these sensations in a different way, one that helps to bring their nervous system back to baseline. Treatments like Metacognitive Therapy can help clients refocus their attention away from physical symptoms and challenge their beliefs about anxiety. And through Exposure Therapy, people can slowly and gradually confront the specific triggers that have historically brought on their symptom attacks, thereby lessening the intensity of their symptoms and allowing them to return to important activities (driving, exercising, travel, etc.).
What about agoraphobia?
Agoraphobia is one of the more misunderstood anxiety disorders. The word literally translates to “fear of the marketplace,” and it is often popularly understood as a fear of crowds. However, agoraphobia could be better thought of as a disorder characterized by avoidance of situations from which escape might be difficult. These are often situations which individuals fear will trigger a panic attack. Indeed, for many folks with agoraphobia, their fears of particular situations started with having a panic attack in that particular environment.
As is true with many anxiety disorders, agoraphobia can gradually “narrow” a person’s life down to a small number of “safe” environments and activities (safe meaning not having a risk of being trapped or triggering a panic attack). Fortunately, treatments such as exposure therapy and metacognitive therapy are very effective for agoraphobia.
Ready to start?
I offer specialized treatment for Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia both in-person in Lake Charles, Louisiana, as well as online throughout Louisiana. Reach out now to schedule a free consultation.