Panic Attacks
Panic attacks will typically result in an abrupt or sudden feeling of terror that will strike with little or no warning. These attacks or episodes can occur at any time – even while asleep.
Panic attack symptoms can vary, but patients typically experience:
- Heart palpitations or a ‘racing’ heart
- Feeling weak or faint
- A tingling or numbness feeling in the hands and fingers
- Chest pains
- Breathing difficulties
- Sense of terror
- And more
Treating Panic Attacks on Psychiatry.Live
Understanding Panic Attacks
The cause of a panic attack is usually unclear and it might be difficult to decipher. If the cause of a panic attack can be determined, treatment can be much easier. Panic attacks are actually very common – many people experience panic attacks and then live their lives avoiding frightening situations. A panic attack is a condition where adrenaline gets released into your bloodstream. When this happens, a message of fear sends a signal to the adrenal glands that there is an emergency.
If you do find yourself having a panic attack, there are steps you can take to end it. If you can stop the emergency message from being sent to your adrenal glands, the attack will end. First, try to calm yourself by remembering that it is only a panic attack and nothing more serious is happening to you – this is easier said than done, but it will help with the release of adrenaline. If you can get relaxed, it will be much easier to stop the message.
Diagnosing and Treating Panic Attacks
Your Psychiatry.Live provider will ask you a series of targeted questions to determine the best treatment plan for you. This is based on duration, severity of symptoms and your medical history. Questions about your work and home environment and habits may also be discussed. Since the cause of a panic attack can be unclear, treatment will be different for everyone.
Once a diagnosis has been made, your provider will go over the risks and benefits of the various treatment plans. Depending on the cause and severity of the anxiety, your treatment plan may include:
- Talk therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy
- Medications
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
- Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
Conditions We Treat
- Anxiety
- ADD/ADHD
- Bipolar
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Grief and Loss
- OCD
- Life Transitions
- Narcolepsy
- Panic Attacks
- Postpartum Depression
- PTSD
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Brett Vasquez
Patient