Recognizing Panic Disorder Symptoms
At Revitalize Wellness Center, we understand how overwhelming and frightening panic disorder can feel. Panic disorder is characterized by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks—sudden waves of intense fear that typically peak within minutes and often occur without warning.
A panic attack involves at least four of the following physical and psychological symptoms:
- A racing or pounding heart
- Sweating, shaking, or trembling
- Shortness of breath or a sensation of choking
- Chest pain or discomfort that can resemble a heart attack
- Nausea, dizziness, or abdominal distress
- Numbness, tingling sensations, chills, or hot flashes
- A sense of unreality (derealization) or detachment from oneself (depersonalization)
- Fear of losing control, going insane, or dying
These symptoms can feel terrifying and may lead individuals to avoid certain places or situations where past attacks occurred. Over time, this pattern of avoidance and fear can significantly affect day-to-day life and relationships.
Recognizing these signs is an important step toward healing. Our compassionate mental health team takes the time to provide individualized care. Whether you’ve had your first panic attack or have been struggling with panic disorder for years, we are here to help you find relief and move toward lasting recovery.
Causes and Risk Factors of Panic Attacks
If you’re experiencing panic attacks, you may be wondering: Why is this happening to me? The truth is, panic disorder doesn’t have one simple cause. It’s often the result of many overlapping factors—genetic, emotional, biological, and even environmental. We take time to understand your full story, because what leads one person to develop panic disorder may look very different for someone else.
Research shows that panic attacks can be caused by the following reasons:
It Can Run in the Family
You’re not imagining it—panic disorder often has a genetic link. If a parent, sibling, or close relative struggles with panic attacks or other mental health conditions like generalized anxiety disorder or posttraumatic stress disorder, you may be more likely to experience similar challenges. This doesn’t mean it’s your fate—it just means your brain might be more sensitive to stress and physical sensations like a racing heart or shortness of breath.
Stressful Events Can Trigger Panic
Many people can trace their first panic attack back to a difficult season—loss, change, trauma, or even a big life transition. Panic can also appear after traumatic events, especially if those feelings were never fully processed. You might even notice that your panic began around early adulthood, which is a time when many mental health challenges first emerge.
Physical Sensitivity Plays a Role
Some people are naturally more aware of what’s going on in their bodies. If you’re highly tuned in to sensations like heart rate, chest tightness, or dizziness, your brain might mistakenly treat those sensations as threats, leading to a full-blown panic response. This heightened response to physical symptoms is common in panic disorder and is something we work with gently in therapy.
Ongoing Worry Makes It Worse
What often keeps the panic cycle going is the constant worry: What if it happens again? What if I lose control in public? This persistent concern can lead to avoiding people, places, or situations altogether. Over time, it can feel like your world is shrinking. But you’re not stuck—there is a way forward.
You’re Not Alone—and It’s Not Your Fault
Panic disorder is a real condition, recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). It’s not just “in your head,” and you’re not being dramatic. If you’re noticing patterns like recurrent unexpected panic attacks, fear of the next panic attack, or changes in how you live your life, it’s time to reach out.
Our team of compassionate mental health professionals will listen without judgment. We’ll help you understand what’s going on and create a care plan that makes sense for your needs. Healing is possible—and it starts with understanding.
Diagnosis of Panic Disorder
If you’ve been experiencing panic attacks, racing thoughts, or fear that another episode might strike at any moment, you’re probably wondering what’s going on. We take that question seriously. Getting an accurate diagnosis of panic disorder is a powerful first step toward peace of mind and healing.
What the Diagnostic Process Looks Like
Diagnosing panic disorder isn’t about labeling you—it’s about understanding what you’re feeling and why. Our trained mental health professionals begin with a caring, in-depth conversation. This includes:
- A clinical interview about your panic symptoms, history, and life experiences
- A review of your medical history, including any other mental health conditions such as generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, or posttraumatic stress disorder
- Screening for any substance use disorders or underlying mental disorders that might be contributing
- Assessing the impact of symptoms like chest pain, fear of losing control, or repeated intense fear
We follow the clinical criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), which guides how panic disorder is officially identified. According to the DSM-5, a diagnosis is made when someone experiences recurrent unexpected panic attacks along with ongoing persistent concern about having more, or behavioral changes that disrupt daily life.
It’s Okay If You’re Not Sure What You’re Feeling in Anxiety Disorders
You might not know if what you’re feeling qualifies as panic disorder—and that’s okay. Many people mistake their symptoms for a heart attack or serious medical emergency, especially when they experience physical symptoms like a pounding heart, shortness of breath, or dizziness. That’s why our team takes every symptom seriously and rules out other causes while building a clear path forward.
We believe in compassionate, personalized care, not just symptom checklists. Whether you’ve had one attack or many, whether you’re afraid of the next panic attack or already avoiding situations where attacks occur, we’re here to listen and guide you toward the right treatment for panic disorder.
Treatment Options for Panic Disorder at Revitalize Wellness Center in Norwell, MA
Living with panic disorder can feel exhausting, but with the right support, healing is possible. At Revitalize Wellness Center in Norwell, Massachusetts, we offer personalized, evidence-based care to help you understand your symptoms, rebuild confidence, and live a fuller, calmer life.
Whether you’re managing frequent attacks, struggling after your first panic attack, or facing severe symptoms, our compassionate team is here to help you find relief.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most effective tools in the treatment of panic disorder. CBT helps you identify and challenge the thoughts, fears, and behaviors that contribute to panic attacks and anxiety symptoms.
We also use exposure therapy, a specialized form of CBT that gently and gradually helps you face the situations or physical sensations that you’ve been avoiding—whether it’s chest pain, dizziness, or fear of losing control. Over time, this reduces both fear and avoidance.
Medication Management
Medications can be a helpful part of treating panic disorder, especially when paired with therapy. We work closely with you to explore safe and appropriate options like:
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
- Serotonin reuptake inhibitors SSRIs specifically tailored to ease panic symptoms and intense fear
- Other options like tricyclic antidepressants or short-term drug therapy where needed
Our team carefully monitors any medication use, especially for treated patients who may also experience substance use disorder or other mental health conditions.
Supportive Therapy and Family Care
We know that support matters. That’s why our care goes beyond the individual. We offer:
- Talk therapy for emotional processing
- Group therapy to connect with others who understand
- Family therapy to strengthen your support system and improve communication
We also address overlapping challenges like social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder, which often appear alongside panic.
Mindfulness, Relaxation, and Holistic Care
Our integrative approach includes:
- Mindfulness meditation and grounding techniques
- Breathing exercises and body scans for choking, chest pain, rapid heartbeat, or tingling sensations
- Emotional regulation skills to manage triggers and reduce relapse risk
- Encouragement to adopt a healthy diet, a consistent sleep schedule, and daily movement
These strategies promote overall well-being and can help overcome fears that keep panic in control.
Personalized Treatment for Real Lives
Every client at Revitalize Wellness Center receives a personalized care plan. We consider your family history, medical background, lifestyle, and emotional needs to create a supportive, realistic path to recovery.
Whether your panic began in early adulthood, is triggered by traumatic events, or is connected to a history of depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or substance abuse, we’re here with the tools, time, and compassion to help.
Resources and Support
We recognize that coping with panic disorder is a continuous journey. We provide ongoing support and comprehensive resources for our clients and their families, including support groups, educational workshops, and personalized counseling sessions. Our mission is to enable individuals with panic disorder to live fulfilling lives and reach their highest potential.
Refresh Your Well-Being with Panic Disorder Treatment at Revitalize Wellness Center in Norwell, MA
Living with panic disorder can be overwhelming, especially when the symptoms are sudden, unpredictable, and feel impossible to control. Whether you’re managing recurrent unexpected panic attacks, fearing the next panic attack, or experiencing daily anxiety symptoms, we want you to know that you’re not alone.
Our experienced mental health professionals understand how panic disorder develops and how it may overlap with other mental health conditions like generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, posttraumatic stress disorder, or substance use disorder. We use trusted, evidence-based treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, talk therapy, and medication management, including SSRIs, SNRIs, and antidepressant medications when needed.
Your healing journey may involve addressing past trauma, lifestyle changes, or learning to breathe through the discomfort. Whatever it is, we walk with you, offering encouragement and a belief in your ability to overcome fear and regain control.
Your Recovery Starts Now
Reach out to Revitalize Wellness Center today and begin your path toward meaningful, lasting relief. Let’s work together to reduce panic and help you live the life you deserve—free from fear and full of hope.
Contact us now to schedule a consultation and learn more about how we can help you treat panic attacks and reclaim your peace of mind.
FAQ
A mental health professional plays a key role in helping you manage and recover from panic disorder. Our licensed clinicians use evidence-based methods like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy to reduce panic attack symptoms, identify triggers, and help you regain a sense of control. Treatment often includes medication management, support groups, and personalized strategies to address co-occurring mental health conditions like generalized anxiety disorder or social phobia. With the right support, panic disorder can be treated successfully.
While people often use the terms panic attack and anxiety attack interchangeably, they are clinically different. Panic attacks come on suddenly and involve intense physical symptoms like chest pain, heart palpitations, or choking sensations, often with a fear of losing control or even dying. Anxiety attacks, on the other hand, tend to build gradually and may be tied to a specific stressor. Both can be part of larger anxiety disorders, including panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder, and both respond well to treatment with cognitive behavior therapy and the care of a skilled mental health professional.
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective treatments for panic disorder. CBT helps you recognize the thought patterns that trigger panic attacks and teaches you how to respond differently. We often combine CBT with exposure therapy, medication, and talk therapy to help our clients reduce severe symptoms, manage intense fear, and improve overall mental health. This approach can also be helpful if you’re experiencing generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or other mental disorders.
If you’re dealing with recurrent unexpected panic attacks, persistent anxiety symptoms, or a constant fear of losing control, you may be living with panic disorder. If your anxiety is more chronic, widespread, and not limited to panic episodes, you may be experiencing generalized anxiety disorder. Either way, it’s important to speak to a mental health professional. We provide personalized evaluations based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) to help diagnose panic disorder and tailor the right treatment plan for your needs.
Effective treatment of panic disorder often takes into account other co-occurring mental health conditions, such as substance use disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, or depression. Our team offers integrated care, combining cognitive behavioral therapy, medication, and holistic support to address the full picture, not just the panic attacks. A mental health professional will work with you to create a plan that helps you manage your panic symptoms, improve your mental health, and enhance your overall well-being.
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