Counselling for Panic Attacks
Counsellor's Diary | 22-Oct-2024
Panic attacks can feel sudden and overwhelming, catching many people off guard with intense waves of fear and physical symptoms like a racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, or chest tightness. At Spring Listening Room, we want to offer clear, supportive information about what panic attacks are, when counselling might help, and some practical strategies to cope with them.
What Are Panic Attacks?
A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear or discomfort that reaches its peak within minutes. It can happen unexpectedly or in response to certain triggers. Although the physical sensations can feel threatening-such as heart palpitations, sweating, trembling, or feeling detached-they are not harmful. However, experiencing panic attacks can be very distressing and, if frequent, may develop into panic disorder, which can significantly impact daily life.
When is Counselling Needed?
You might consider counselling if panic attacks interfere with your daily routine, cause you to avoid situations for fear of another attack, or lead to heightened anxiety and worry between episodes. Counselling can provide you with a safe space to explore these feelings, understand the triggers and patterns, and learn skills to manage attacks more effectively. You don't need to have a formal diagnosis to seek support-early help can prevent further distress and improve quality of life.
Strategies to Cope with Panic Attacks
Alongside counselling, there are several strategies you can work on to manage panic attacks:
- Breathing Techniques: Learning to take slow, deep breaths can help reduce the physical symptoms of panic and calm your nervous system.
- Grounding Exercises: Focusing on your surroundings or your senses-like noticing five things you can see or touch-can help you stay connected to the present moment.
- Cognitive Restructuring: Challenging and changing unhelpful thoughts ("I'm going to lose control") through therapy reduces their impact.
- Exposure: Gradually facing feared situations or sensations in a controlled way to decrease sensitivity over time.
- Relaxation Practices: Activities like progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, or gentle movement can lower overall anxiety levels.
- Self-Compassion: Reminding yourself that panic attacks are common and not your fault can reduce self-criticism and shame.
The Role of Counselling
Counselling helps by teaching you how thoughts, feelings, and body sensations interact to create panic. Working with one of our trained counsellors, you can identify triggers, shift unhelpful thinking, and build skills to respond differently when an attack begins. This process helps lessen the frequency and intensity of attacks and improves your confidence in managing them.
Remember, panic attacks can feel scary, but they are manageable. Counselling provides a compassionate space to understand your experience, unravel anxiety, and develop powerful tools to regain control over your life. If you're struggling with panic attacks, reaching out for support is a brave and important step toward calmer, more confident days ahead. Contact us at Spring Listening Room to take that first step.