Panic Attack Disorder Therapy – Counselors in Marblehead
Panic attacks present not only a frightening experience, but also a potentially debilitating condition. A panic attack is a sudden feeling of intense fear that can be triggered with little or no warning. Symptoms of pain attacks are:
- Heart palpitations and accelerated heart rate
- Breathing difficulties, and chest pains
- Feelings of intense heat or cold
- Fear of losing control, going insane, or even fear of dying
Especially painful for the sufferers is the fact that these attacks can occur at any time or place. Panic attack counselling and panic disorder therapy have been proven to have a high success rate in combating these conditions.
Panic disorder, according to DSM-5, is diagnosed:
- when a person experiences recurrent panic attacks (a minimum of four in a month period)
- when one or more of the attacks are accompanied by concerns regarding experiencing further attacks, and their implications (e.g. fear of going insane, or of a heart attack being induced), and/or the attacks cause significant changes in a sufferer’s behavioral patterns.
Panic attacks and panic disorder can have a significant impact on a person’s self-esteem, fueling a feeling of hopelessness, and may lead to other psychological conditions, such as depression. Not understanding the underlying causes of the attacks, and the sufferer’s inability to cope with them and their effects, usually leads the sufferer to seriously question their self-concept and overall identity.
The experience of an attack itself is harrowing enough, but sufferers may also find themselves unable to engage in certain activities, for fear of another attack occurring. This can lead to serious disturbances in relationships with their friends and family, or their work related activities.
Sufferers may experience intense anxiety and fear simply when faced with the prospect of another attack, especially in situations and places where such an attack would be an even more damaging experience than it normally would have (a family gathering, or an important meeting at work). This anxiety can actually be more damaging than the attack itself, and as such, serve as a trigger for an attack, if intense enough.
Please note that these descriptions are general and that a self-diagnosis based on these descriptions is not recommended.
If you recognize any of these symptoms you should contact a trained professional for assistance, as early diagnosis is crucial for successful treatment. Counseling for panic attacks and panic disorder therapy helps the sufferer to attain a more realistic view of the situation they perceive as threatening, and thus helps them to overcome their fears. While a relapse may occur, additional treatment will assure further improvement, until the condition is effectively handled.
If you are interested in panic attack counseling or panic disorder therapy in Marblehead, please contact us. Our expert counselors and therapists here at Marblehead will be able to offer you a range of helpful services, in order to find the treatment most suitable for you.