Get therapy for panic attacks, understand more about their causes and how to control the triggers can be one of the best way to cope with them
One of the most common conditions that we assist our Palm Beach County, Florida or Summit County, Park City, and Salt Lake City, Utah clientele with, is panic attacks. Knowing more about their causes and how to control the triggers can be one of the best way to cope with them.
How to Tell When You’re Having a Panic Attack
A panic attack can look different from one person to the next. The good news is that most don’t last for more than half an hour. It’s important to know the symptoms, because it could be confused with things like a heart attack or stroke.
Common panic attack symptoms often include:
If you’re starting to avoid certain types of settings or being around other people because you’re afraid it will trigger a panic attack, then it’s time to seek out help.
Panic Attack Causes
There are usually three main causes of panic attacks:
1. Family History — Panic attacks tend to run in families. If your parent or a grandparent is known to have suffered from anxiety, there’s a good chance that you’ll be genetically predisposed to as well. Knowing that you are can give you a head start on seeking out panic attack treatments, before anxiety attacks become too severe.
2. Major Life Events — Have you just had a baby? Are you a first-time home buyer? Is your child going off to college? Are you starting a new job? Transitioning between phases of your life and meeting big milestones may be causing more stress than you realize.
3. Medical Problems — Known or undiagnosed, a medical condition may be the cause of your anxiety or panic attack. It’s always important to talk to your doctor when the side-effects of these disturbances become physical. Common health links might include issues like cardiac problems (such as mitral valve prolapse,) thyroid imbalances, hypoglycemia, and drug use (over the counter, prescription, or recreational.)
Triggers aren’t always clearly defined. Working with a Florida or Utah behavioral therapist or counselor can help you to identify what impacts you the most, so that you can take steps to control it.
Many people assume that the only treatment for panic attacks is medication. Effective drugs often include anti-anxiety prescriptions like benzodiazepines or even antidepressants.
Although your medical doctor or psychiatrist can prescribe drugs that help with an anxiety attack, that’s not the only option available to alleviate the impact that panic can have on you.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a great way to work through how you process or avoid the triggers of a panic attack. Learning how to filter things out and look at them differently can help you to reduce how severe your panic attacks are, their length, and how frequently they occur. Gradually, your fears become more of annoyances that are easier to manage instead of something that paralyzes you.
Together, mental health therapy and medication can be extremely effective at managing and preventing panic attacks altogether. In fact, many of our clients find that with counseling, they’re able to have their doctor take them off of their medication.
Other ways to help with managing a panic attack include practicing regular:
Thanks to modern technology, our panic attack therapists can complete your counseling session online or over the phone. This is especially useful if you’re in the middle of an anxiety attack and need help, fast. The Dell Center for Therapy makes it easy for you to stay in contact with us, so that you can work through issues when they arise.
Are you looking for a therapist to help you with your panic attacks? The Dell Center for Therapy sees clients throughout the Summit County, Park City, and Palm Beach County areas. We can meet you at a coffee shop, or here in our office. Book your initial consultation today to find out how our expert therapists can help you overcome the daily challenges of an anxiety attack.
