A panic attack can feel overwhelming. Afterwards, it is understandable to want certainty that it will not happen again. For some people, that fear begins to influence where they go, what they do and how closely they watch their body.
A panic attack is not the same as panic disorder
A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear or discomfort. It may involve a racing heart, shaking, dizziness or breathlessness. Panic disorder involves repeated, unexpected attacks together with continuing worry about more attacks or changes in behaviour because of that fear.
One attack does not automatically mean you have panic disorder. An assessment helps clarify the pattern and consider other explanations for your symptoms.
How the cycle can build
Imagine noticing your heart beat faster and interpreting it as a sign that something terrible is about to happen. That interpretation can increase fear, which brings more physical sensations. You may start avoiding places associated with panic. Over time, anticipating another attack can become a difficulty in its own right.
What CBT may involve
CBT looks at the connections between sensations, the meanings you attach to them and how you respond. Together, we identify the pattern that is affecting you and agree what you want to be able to do differently.
Treatment can include testing feared predictions and gradually approaching activities or sensations you have come to avoid. Work with bodily sensations is sometimes called interoceptive exposure. Exercises are selected and planned with your therapist, taking your health and circumstances into account.
Rather than relying only on reassurance, the aim is to build understanding through experience and reduce the ways fear limits your life.
What have you stopped doing because you are worried about another attack? You do not need to challenge it immediately; describing its impact can help us identify a useful focus for therapy.
When to seek medical advice
New or unexplained physical symptoms should be medically assessed rather than assumed to be anxiety. Call 999 for a medical emergency. This article provides general information and cannot diagnose your symptoms.