Panic disorder symptoms include a racing heart, sweating, trembling, dizziness, chills or feeling unable to control one’s behavior. Treatment typically consists of psychotherapy (sometimes referred to as “talk therapy”) or medication.
Psychotherapy For Panic Disorder may include relaxation techniques, practicing ways to avoid triggers and exposure therapy – in which clients are safely guided through either a direct or imagined experience of a potentially distressing situation.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a therapeutic approach in which an experienced therapist helps you recognize and comprehend the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Through CBT you can discover new strategies to manage these difficulties as well as develop stronger problem-solving abilities.
CBT helps you identify and alter the negative thoughts that cause you to feel anxious or stressed. Additionally, you’ll gain techniques for relaxation that allow you to look at situations in a fresh, more productive light.
Effective therapy requires regular attendance at sessions and fulfilling any homework exercises given to you by your therapist. Doing this consistently over time will yield tangible, long-lasting improvements.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) not only helps you overcome panic attacks, but it also decreases the need for anxiety medications. These drugs can become habit-forming and often lead to recurrences of symptoms.
Behavioral Therapy (BT)
CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is a psychotherapy that helps you acquire skills to alter negative thought patterns and behavior. The primary objective of CBT is to break down your panic disorder into manageable parts, giving you new, healthier ways of handling it.
A therapist will begin by assessing your symptoms and current situation. Additionally, they will create a treatment plan with you in consultation.
In a CBT session, you and your therapist will work together to identify inaccurate thoughts and beliefs about situations or triggers. For instance, you might mistakenly think that having your heart racing means you’re having a heart attack when in reality it is just a normal response to stress; or the haunting memories from past trauma mean you are going crazy when in reality they don’t.
Cognitive restructuring is a CBT technique that helps you recognize and replace distorted thoughts with more realistic ones. You can do this by writing about your feelings and thoughts, using affirmations, or working on exercises with a therapist.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is a type of psychotherapy for people who struggle to regulate their emotions. Initially developed to treat suicidal and borderline personality disorder, DBT can now be beneficial in treating other mental health conditions that are difficult to manage.
The DBT method utilizes mindfulness and dialectical thinking to assist patients in managing symptoms more effectively. It imparts skills such as distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness to those suffering from DBT.
DBT therapy involves one-on-one sessions and skills training groups that typically last a few hours each week.
It can involve a lot of talking and practicing new skills. While this can be an exhausting process for some individuals, some find success through it.
Research has demonstrated that meditation can be more successful than taking medications to treat panic attacks. Furthermore, its potential long-term success is greater.
Meditation
Meditation is one of the most successful psychotherapies for panic disorder, relieving symptoms and helping you cope with your condition. Not only that, but meditation also reduces stress and improves sleep quality.
Meditation can help you become more relaxed and present in the present moment. You can focus on an object, image, mantra or even your breathing for some added relaxation and focus.
Research has demonstrated that people who meditate regularly experience changes in their brain structure. Specifically, they have more connections between neurons – cells responsible for sending signals to one another – which send signals back and forth.
These changes have been linked to an increase in grey matter in certain parts of the brain, which may help improve memory, focus and overall mental health. Furthermore, meditation improves blood flow throughout your body by lowering blood pressure and stimulating enzymes that lower high cholesterol. Furthermore, it decreases cortisol – the hormone responsible for stress and anxiety – furthering these beneficial effects.
