When Anxiety Disorders Cause Panic Attacks

Panic attacks are common among people living with anxiety disorders. These attacks happen even though there is no real threat. They can be so overwhelming that some people go to the emergency room thinking they are having a heart attack. Panic attacks are not life-threatening, but knowing how to manage them can bring much-needed relief. A psychiatrist can help clients learn how to cope with panic attacks through various techniques, including therapy and medication.

What is a panic attack?

Panic attacks are similar to but distinct from anxiety attacks. Both can bring feelings of worry and distress, trembling, shortness of breath, chest pain, heart palpitations, and feeling detached from oneself or the outside world, among other symptoms of nervousness. The main difference is that a panic attack may come out of the blue, while stressful situations bring on an anxiety attack. However, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, if one experiences four or more panic attacks, they have a panic disorder.

Panic attack prevention and treatment

Recognizing triggers

It can help to learn about what typically triggers the client so that they can better predict an upcoming attack and find ways to mitigate it. Common triggers to anxiety and panic attacks include social situations and facing phobias, such as if a person with agoraphobia finds themselves in a crowded place. Having a demanding or stressful job, being reminded of traumatic events, taking certain medications, drinking too much caffeine, and even chronic illness flare-ups can contribute to a panic or anxiety attack.

Coping with panic attacks

Unfortunately, it is impossible to avoid every trigger, even once the client knows of them. This is especially true since the very nature of an anxiety disorder means that it interferes with one’s life. The point of learning one’s triggers is to give oneself more grace and time to prepare when one has to face a triggering event. Therefore, it is also important to learn how to cope with panic attacks once they happen.

Psychiatrists have many ways to help cope with panic attacks, such as grounding techniques. The 54321 grounding technique, for example, refocuses one’s attention on the senses. With this technique, the client will locate five things to see, four things to touch, three things to hear, two things to smell, and one thing to taste. It can also help to hold an ice cube or put a damp washcloth on the back of the neck.

Prescription medication and psychotherapy

If panic attacks become an issue, consider seeing a psychiatrist for mental health treatment. Most clients can relieve their symptoms through prescription medication and improvement through psychotherapy. Depending on the client’s needs, a psychiatrist may recommend antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, or beta-blockers.

As for anxiety therapy, the most common is cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT. In this type of psychotherapy, the focus will be on unlearning harmful thought patterns and replacing them with more helpful ones. The goal is to rewire the brain to take the power away from triggers and put it back in the client’s hands. However, other types of therapy can be helpful for anxiety disorders, such as exposure therapy.