Center for Anxiety, OCD, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Conquer Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder: Effective Therapy in Philadelphia and Beyond
Understanding Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder in Philadelphia Area
Panic attacks are intense, sudden episodes of fear that trigger severe physical reactions, even when there is no real danger or apparent cause. While panic attacks are relatively common, affecting more individuals than the disorder, Panic Disorder itself affects about 4 to 7 percent of the population at some point in their lives. It involves recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and ongoing concerns about having more attacks.
The Nature of Panic Attacks
Panic attacks often involve a rapid onset of fear accompanied by daunting physical symptoms like heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, or abdominal distress. Mentally, individuals may experience a sense of loss of control, a fear of impending doom, or even fear of dying. Cued panic attacks are linked to specific fears such as phobias (e.g., heights, driving, specific animals), or broader anxieties found in conditions like GAD, social anxiety, or PTSD, and should be treated within the broader context of these conditions.
What is Panic Disorder?
Panic Disorder is characterized by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks that arise without a clear trigger, and persistent worries about the consequences of these attacks. Although panic episodes themselves are not intrinsically dangerous, they often lead to extensive safety behaviors and lifestyle restrictions due to catastrophic misinterpretations of the episodes and sensations associated with them.
Interpretations of danger and threat
A key feature of the panic experience is that people will interpret their experiences as signs of dangers or threats, which only leads them to panic further, while also leading to avoidance and lifestyle adjustments. Common misinterpretations include fears of various physical, cognitive, and social threats, such as:
- Physical threats: Fearing that a panic attack will lead to a heart attack, suffocation, fainting, or crashing a car.
- Cognitive threats: Believing that one might lose control, “go crazy,” or become unable to function.
- Social threats: Worrying about embarrassment, judgment, or becoming incapacitated in social situations, leading to a fear of being trapped or unable to escape.
Avoidance, safety behaviors, and their consequences
Individuals with panic disorder typically engage in various avoidance and safety behaviors to avoid or mitigate attacks. These behaviors may include:
- Continuously monitoring bodily sensations
- Avoiding physical activities that could elevate the heart rate
- Staying away from environments that might induce panic, such as crowded places or confined spaces
- Planning escape routes from potential high-anxiety situations
- Seeking frequent reassurance from healthcare providers or loved ones
This pattern of avoidance and safety behaviors can lead to significant lifestyle restrictions, often culminating in agoraphobia—where individuals avoid places or situations where they feel escape might be difficult or help unavailable, such as driving on a bridge, sitting in a crowded movie theater, or traveling in an airplane. The intense fear and avoidance can severely impact a person’s daily functioning and quality of life, making it challenging to engage in normal activities.
Impact of Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder on Daily Life
Individuals with panic disorder might frequently visit doctors, undergoing various medical tests due to fears that their symptoms relate to medical conditions. This mirrors behaviors seen in health anxiety (link to our service page for health anxiety). The disorder can drastically reduce quality of life, leading to increased medical costs, absenteeism, and reduced productivity.
Treatments for Panic Disorder
Individuals with panic disorder might frequently visit doctors, undergoing various medical tests due to fears that their symptoms relate to medical conditions. This mirrors behaviors seen in health anxiety (link to our service page for health anxiety). The disorder can drastically reduce quality of life, leading to increased medical costs, absenteeism, and reduced productivity.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
CBT is highly effective for panic disorder, particularly when specialized forms such as Panic Control Treatment and Cognitive Therapy for Panic Disorder are employed. It’s important that your provider is well-trained in one of these specialized CBT approaches, which are ideal due to their targeted effectiveness in managing panic and anxiety. CBT helps patients reduce fear of sensations, change unhelpful thoughts, and manage behaviors. It also focuses on coping more effectively with life situations, interpersonal challenges, and emotional vulnerabilities that contribute to panic disorder.
Exposure therapy or exposure and response prevention (ERP)
This therapy, which is a specific form of CBT, involves gradual exposure to fear-triggering situations in a controlled setting. It aims to reduce fears and fixations associated with panic attacks and agoraphobia, while also working to reduce unhelpful avoidance and safety behaviors.
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
ACT helps patients to come into contact with their feelings and sensations without judgment and engage in values-based actions in the presence of anxiety. This therapy emphasizes accepting difficult sensations and committing to behaviors that align with personal values, fostering greater psychological flexibility.
Combination cognitive behavioral therapies
Often, a blend of various forms of cognitive-behavioral therapies, like CBT, ERP, ACT, and sometimes DBT, may be most effective. At our Center, therapy is tailored to meet each individual’s unique needs.
Psychodynamic therapy
Although our center focuses on behavioral therapies, psychodynamic therapy can also be effective for patients with panic disorder. This form of therapy explores underlying psychological conflicts and processes that may contribute to panic symptoms (Keefe, Chambless, Barber, and Milrod, 2019). While we don’t offer this therapy, we may be able to assist in finding referrals for those interested in pursuing this option.
Medication treatment
Medications, including SSRIs and venlafaxine, are commonly prescribed and can be very effective in managing symptoms. Benzodiazepines are generally used cautiously due to their risk factors, and tricyclic antidepressants are sometimes considered for secondary treatment options (Ziffra, 2021).
When Panic Accompanies Other Problems
In most of the patients we work with, panic disorder occurs alongside other psychological challenges, such as depression, bipolar disorder, or other anxiety disorders, like generalized anxiety, social anxiety, health anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Addressing these co-occurring problems is often crucial for effective treatment.
Support and Resources for Managing Panic in the Philadelphia Area
Understanding more about panic disorder and the available treatments can empower you to regain control of your life. Our website serves as a comprehensive hub for individuals navigating the challenges of panic, anxiety and related conditions.
- Learn more about our treatment approach.
- Learn more about our family support services, including the SPACE program, on our parents, families, and children page.
- Dive into our resources section for staff-curated recommendations related to exposure and response prevention (ERP), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for panic attacks, panic disorder, other forms of anxiety, and associated issues
- Read about the hopeful outcomes and success stories from clients with anxiety disorders and related challenges on the testimonials section of our home page.
Begin Your Journey to Overcome Panic
Are you ready to take back control from panic attacks and anxiety? Located in Philadelphia, our center is easily accessible to residents from Cherry Hill, Ardmore, King of Prussia, and beyond and serves residents of multiple states by telehealth. Our center is dedicated to providing the highest quality of care tailored to meet your specific needs, equipping you with strategies that are carefully designed to help you understand and manage your anxiety and fears. If you’re ready to start or just want more information, we invite you to contact our anxiety and OCD specialty team today.
Learn More about the Conditions We Specialize in: Anxiety, Social Anxiety, OCD, Phobias, Trichotillomania, PTSD, and More
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Our practice is honored to serve as the Philadelphia regional clinic and proud to be a board member of the National Social Anxiety Center (NSAC). NSAC is committed to offering the highest quality, evidence-based anxiety therapy services for social anxiety and related conditions to those in need. We actively contribute to this mission through research, collaboration, dissemination to clinicians, and public education. For more information, please visit NSAC here.