Therapy
Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder
Being told it is "just" panic rarely helps, because the experience is genuinely terrifying and the fear of the next one starts immediately. That second fear is the part that turns isolated panic attacks into panic disorder, and it is the part therapy is particularly good at treating.
What happens in an attack
Panic attacks come on suddenly, usually peak within about ten minutes, and typically pass within twenty to thirty. Common symptoms include a racing or pounding heart, chest tightness, shortness of breath or a sense of choking, sweating, chills, shaking, nausea, numbness or tingling, dizziness, and a feeling of unreality or detachment.
If you have not had chest symptoms checked out medically, do that first. Once a physical cause is ruled out, therapy is the appropriate next step.
How panic becomes a disorder
After an attack or two, most people start scanning — noticing their heartbeat, checking whether they feel odd, monitoring for the early signs. That vigilance itself produces physical sensations, which get read as the beginning of another attack, which triggers one. Then the avoidance starts: not driving on the highway, sitting near exits, not going anywhere you could not leave quickly. The world contracts.
Breaking that loop is well-mapped territory. It is one of the more satisfying things to treat because the change is often clear and relatively quick.
How we treat it
— CBT for panic — understanding the cycle, then deliberately testing the catastrophic predictions rather than avoiding the situations that trigger them.
— Interoceptive exposure — safely and gradually reproducing the physical sensations themselves so they stop functioning as an alarm. Done collaboratively, at your pace.
— Breathing and grounding work — practical tools for the moment, though not a substitute for treating the cycle.
— EMDR and ART — where panic began after a specific event, these can be markedly effective.
— Treating what sits underneath — panic frequently co-occurs with generalised anxiety, phobias or unprocessed trauma.
Getting seen
Panic tends to be urgent in a way that other presentations are not — people usually call the week it starts. Depending on availability we can often see you the same or the next day. Call or text 218.249.0595. If getting to the office feels like too much right now, ask for a video appointment; that is a very normal request here and no one will think less of you for it.
FAQ
Common questions
Can a panic attack actually hurt me?
Panic attacks are frightening but not physically dangerous in themselves. That said, chest pain should always be assessed medically the first time. Once you have been cleared, the appropriate treatment is psychological.
How long does treatment take?
Panic disorder responds well and often fairly quickly. Many people see substantial improvement within eight to twelve sessions of focused CBT.
I only had one. Should I still come in?
It is a good time to come in, actually. Treating panic before avoidance sets in is quicker than unpicking it afterwards.
You can usually be seen this week
Depending on availability we offer same-day or next-day appointments. There is no long waitlist and no referral required for most plans.