Your heart begins to race. You experience shortness of breath. Dizziness. An overwhelming sense that something terrible is about to happen.
Panic attacks can be frightening, particularly when they occur unexpectedly or when you don’t understand what is causing your symptoms. However, there’s hope! Anxiety therapy from providers like Leslie Psychology in St. Petersburg, Florida, can arm you with critical insight and important skills to better handle your condition. As a licensed psychologist, I take a comprehensive approach to anxiety treatment for my clients. I believe in the connection between the mind and body, and panic attacks are one example of how emotional distress can produce very real physical sensations. Although they can feel dangerous in the moment, learning to recognize what is happening can help you manage these episodes and reduce the impact they have on your life.
What Is a Panic Attack?
A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear or discomfort accompanied by physical and emotional symptoms. It may occur in response to a stressful situation or seemingly without warning. Symptoms often intensify quickly. During a panic attack, you may experience:
- Rapid or pounding heartbeat
- Shortness of breath or a feeling of choking
- Chest pain or tightness
- Shaking or trembling
- Sweating or chills
- Nausea or stomach discomfort
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Numbness or tingling
- Feelings of detachment or unreality
- Fear of losing control, dying, or experiencing a medical emergency
Because several of these symptoms can also occur with physical health conditions, it is important to discuss new symptoms with a healthcare provider rather than assuming anxiety is the cause.
Why Do Panic Attacks Happen?
The body’s stress response is designed to protect us when we perceive a threat. During a panic attack, that response is activated even when there is no immediate physical danger. Your body reacts as though it needs to fight or escape, producing the rapid physical and emotional changes associated with panic.
There isn’t always one clear explanation for why panic attacks occur. Stress, anxiety, major life changes, and traumatic experiences may contribute for some people. Others develop anxiety about having another attack, leading them to avoid certain places, activities, or situations. This cycle can become increasingly disruptive to the point of limiting your life. Anxiety therapy provides an opportunity to understand these patterns and develop healthier responses to uncomfortable thoughts.
How Therapy for Panic Attacks Can Help
My approach to therapy for anxiety begins with understanding you as a whole person rather than focusing exclusively on individual symptoms, like your panic attacks. Together, we can explore your experiences, stressors, thought patterns, physical responses, and other factors that may be contributing to anxiety and panic. My treatment may involve:
- Learning strategies for managing physical symptoms
- Identifying thoughts that intensify fear
- Developing healthier coping skills
- Gradually becoming more comfortable with situations you have been avoiding
Panic attacks can make you feel as though you cannot trust your own mind or body, but they do not have to dictate how you live your life. Understanding your symptoms and their triggers can be an important part of feeling more confident and in control.
Don’t Let Your Anxiety Win
If panic attacks or other forms of persistent anxiety are interfering with your well-being, I am here to help! Contact my St. Petersburg office today to schedule an in-person or telehealth therapy appointment and begin developing the necessary tools to manage anxiety with confidence. I look forward to showing you how therapy for panic attacks can change your life.