What to Know (& Do) about Panic Attacks

Table of Contents

• What are Panic Attacks

• Panic Attack Symptoms May Include:

• What Causes Panic Attacks?

• Who Is at Risk for Panic Attacks?

• How Can You Tell If You Are Having a Panic Attack?

• Signs of an Oncoming Panic Attack May Include:

• How to Stop a Panic Attack

• The 5-4-3-2-1 Technique:

• Finding Help for Panic Disorders

• Additional Sources:

• Free 20 Minute Consultation with FP Counselling

Panic Attacks can be intense, debilitating events that derail everyday activities, ruin important events, and create strain in relationships. However, many people remain unclear about what panic attacks are and what can be done to prevent or stop them.

Our experience providing therapy for individuals to reduce and control panic attacks has provided us with valuable insight into what works and what doesn’t. Below, you can begin to learn more about panic attacks and discover strategies for lowering the impact they have on your life.

What Are Panic Attacks?

Panic attacks are often caused by intense fear or anxiety, even in the absence of a threat and sometimes without an apparent cause. Panic attacks can often be mistaken as heart attacks, since they often result in physical symptomatology.

Panic Attack Symptoms May Include:

• Muscle tension

• Shortness of breath

• Trembling

• Racing heartbeat

The physical symptoms associated with panic attacks can develop rapidly with little to no warning. One of the reasons so many people struggle with panic attacks is that this unexpectedness leaves them feeling like they have no control over their own bodies.

What Causes Panic Attacks?

Specific physical or mental health factors in a person’s life can increase their risk of having a panic attack. These factors include:

• Stress

• Major life changes

• Genetics

• Trauma

People who have experienced panic attacks before may also develop an intense fear of panic attacks themselves. This condition is known as panic disorder.

Who Is at Risk for Panic Attacks?

Women are almost twice as likely to develop panic disorder than men, but anyone can experience panic attacks regardless of their age or gender.

Some individuals may only experience panic attacks only once or twice in their life, usually as a result of a stressful life event. However, for others, panic attacks can be recurrent and unexpected.

How Can You Tell If You Are Having a Panic Attack?

Panic attacks often come on abruptly, and warning signs can vary from one individual to the next. However, several symptoms may alert you to a panic attack that is about to take place. Common signs of an oncoming panic attack do exist.

Signs of an Oncoming Panic Attack May Include:

• Feeling a sudden loss of control

• Chills

• Feeling detached from reality

• A sense of doom

• Shaking or trembling

• Excessive or abnormal sweating

How to Stop a Panic Attack

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has been found to be highly efficacious for treating panic and anxiety-related disorders. By utilizing CBT, the patient and therapist are able to identify the factors responsible for the patient’s panic attacks and create actionable strategies for mitigating their influence.

CBT helps individuals develop a greater understanding of the relationship between their thoughts, feelings, and actions. Patients can then begin to develop the tools necessary for targeting and modifying patterns of behaviour that contribute to their anxiety, reducing related symptoms like panic attacks in the process.

Several grounding techniques can also help mitigate panic attack symptoms by helping individuals focus on the present moment instead of their worries and fears. One such method is the 5-4-3-2-1 Technique.

The 5-4-3-2-1 Technique:

• What are 5 things you can see around you? Focus on the details of nearby objects, including their patterns and colours.

• What are 4 things you can feel? This could be the feeling of your shirt or the heaviness of your shoes—even the texture of the chair you are sitting in.

• What are 3 things you can hear? Notice your foot tapping on the floor or the wind outside.

• What are 2 things you can smell? Focus on pleasant sensations. You might choose the smell of detergent from freshly washed clothes or a nearby air freshener.

• What is 1 thing you can taste? Think of the last meal you ate and what it tasted like. Alternatively, you may wish to carry a small piece of candy with you so you can put it in your mouth and focus on the flavours.

Finding Help for Panic Disorders

Panic disorders can create significant difficulties for any individual, but you don’t have to deal with them alone. Learn more about finding professional support for dealing with panic disorders by contacting us and speaking with a professional on our team who can answer your questions.

Additional Sources:

Beyond worry: How psychologists help with anxiety disorders. (n.d.). https://www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/topics/anxiety/disorders

TOLAN, Ö., & KARAASLAN, C. (2021). Cognitive behavioral therapy implementations and techniques in panic disorder: A review. Journal of Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy and Research, (0), 1. https://doi.org/10.5455/jcbpr.128029

Tully, P. J., Sardinha, A., & Nardi, A. E. (2017). A new CBT model of panic attack treatment in comorbid heart diseases (PATCHD): How to calm an anxious heart and mind. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 24(3), 329-341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpra.2016.05.008