Panic attacks can be an intensely frightening experience. It may begin suddenly, sometimes without an obvious warning, and create powerful physical and emotional sensations. Your heart may race, breathing can become difficult, and you may feel dizzy, shaky or overwhelmed by the fear that something terrible is about to happen.
For some people, a panic attack is an isolated experience during a particularly stressful period. For others, attacks become recurrent and lead to persistent worry about when the next one might occur. This fear can gradually affect work, relationships, travel and everyday activities.
Understanding what panic attacks are, why they happen and how psychological treatment may help is an important first step towards managing them.
If anxiety or recurring panic attacks are interfering with your everyday life, speaking with an experienced psychologist Marrickville residents can conveniently access from the Inner West may help you understand your symptoms and develop practical ways of managing them.
What Is a Panic Attack?
A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear or discomfort accompanied by significant physical and psychological symptoms.
Unlike ordinary worry, which may gradually increase in response to a stressful situation, panic attacks can develop very quickly. Sometimes there is an identifiable trigger, while at other times an attack seems to occur unexpectedly.
The body’s natural stress response plays an important role. When the brain perceives danger, the nervous system prepares the body to respond. Heart rate and breathing may increase, muscles become tense and the person becomes highly alert.
During a panic attack, this alarm response can become activated even when there is no immediate external danger.
Because the physical sensations can be so powerful, people experiencing their first panic attack sometimes believe they are having a heart attack, losing control or experiencing another serious medical problem.
Common Symptoms of Panic Attacks
Panic attacks can feel different from person to person. Symptoms generally develop rapidly and can include a combination of physical, cognitive and emotional experiences.
Common physical symptoms include:
- Rapid or pounding heartbeat
- Shortness of breath or rapid breathing
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Sweating
- Trembling or shaking
- Dizziness or light-headedness
- Nausea or abdominal discomfort
- Feeling unusually hot or cold
- Numbness or tingling
- Feeling faint or unsteady
Psychological symptoms may include:
- Intense fear or dread
- Fear of dying
- Fear of losing control
- Feeling detached from yourself
- Feeling that your surroundings are unreal
- A strong desire to escape the situation
Although these sensations can be frightening, understanding the body’s panic response can reduce some of the fear associated with the symptoms.
Chest pain and breathing difficulties can also have physical causes. New, severe or unexplained symptoms should therefore be medically assessed rather than automatically assumed to be anxiety. If you believe you may be experiencing a medical emergency, seek urgent medical assistance.
Panic Attacks vs Panic Disorder
Having a panic attack does not automatically mean someone has panic disorder.
A person might experience one or several panic attacks during periods of significant stress without developing an ongoing anxiety disorder.
Panic disorder involves recurrent panic attacks together with ongoing concern about additional attacks or significant changes in behaviour because of them.
For example, after experiencing a panic attack on public transport, someone may begin worrying that another attack will occur while travelling. They might start driving everywhere, avoid trains entirely or stop travelling far from home.
The fear of panic can therefore become almost as disruptive as the panic attacks themselves.
This cycle of fear and avoidance is one reason professional psychological support can be beneficial.
What Causes Panic Attacks?
There is rarely one simple explanation for why panic attacks develop.
Instead, biological, psychological and environmental factors may interact.
Stressful Life Experiences
Periods of prolonged or intense stress can increase vulnerability to anxiety and panic.
Stress may be related to:
- Workplace pressures
- Relationship difficulties
- Financial concerns
- Family conflict
- Grief or loss
- Major life transitions
- Health concerns
- Traumatic experiences
Sometimes a panic attack occurs during a stressful period. In other situations, it can appear after the most stressful period has passed.
Sensitivity to Physical Sensations
Some people become particularly alert to changes in their bodies.
A slightly faster heartbeat, dizziness or breathlessness might be interpreted as evidence that something dangerous is happening.
For example:
Physical sensation: “My heart is beating faster.”
Interpretation: “Something is seriously wrong.”
Anxiety response: Heart rate increases further.
Interpretation: “It’s getting worse.”
This feedback loop can rapidly intensify anxiety and contribute to panic.
Genetics and Individual Vulnerability
Family history can influence vulnerability to anxiety and panic disorders. However, genetics are only part of the picture.
Personality, previous experiences, learned behaviours, current stress and coping strategies can also influence how someone responds to anxiety.
Physical Health and Substances
Some medical conditions can produce symptoms that resemble anxiety or panic. Stimulants and substances can also contribute to symptoms in some people.
High caffeine consumption, for example, can cause increased heart rate, shakiness and nervousness.
This is another reason a medical assessment can be appropriate when panic-like symptoms appear for the first time or change significantly.
The Panic and Avoidance Cycle
One of the most difficult aspects of recurrent panic attacks is the development of anticipatory anxiety — essentially becoming anxious about becoming anxious.
Imagine someone experiences a panic attack while shopping in a crowded centre.
They may subsequently think:
“What if that happens again?”
The next time they visit, they carefully monitor their breathing and heartbeat. Normal bodily changes are noticed more quickly because attention is focused on them.
Anxiety rises.
The person leaves the shopping centre and immediately feels safer.
Leaving provides short-term relief, but it may unintentionally reinforce the belief that escaping prevented something terrible from happening.
Over time, the person may avoid more situations.
Psychological treatment can help people understand and gradually change these patterns.
How Can a Psychologist Help With Panic Attacks?
If panic attacks are recurring or affecting your quality of life, working with a psychologist can provide an opportunity to understand what is happening and develop strategies appropriate to your circumstances.
At Dulwich Hill Psychology & Relationship Counselling, Theodora Huggins has more than 20 years of experience working with adults and adolescents and provides psychological strategies tailored to each person’s individual needs.
For people searching for a psychologist Marrickville or elsewhere in Sydney’s Inner West, the Dulwich Hill practice provides a nearby option for professional psychological support.
Treatment will depend on the individual, their symptoms, circumstances and therapeutic goals.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Panic
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is one psychological approach commonly used in the treatment of panic disorder.
CBT examines relationships between thoughts, emotions, physical sensations and behaviours.
Treatment may involve learning to identify thoughts that intensify panic, developing alternative ways of interpreting bodily sensations and changing behaviours that maintain anxiety.
For instance, a person might automatically interpret a racing heart as:
“I am going to collapse.”
Therapy can help them examine that interpretation and develop a more balanced understanding of what they are experiencing.
The objective isn’t simply to replace every negative thought with a positive one. Rather, it is to develop more flexible and realistic ways of responding to anxiety.
Understanding and Reducing Avoidance
Avoidance can provide immediate relief, which makes it tempting.
Unfortunately, consistently avoiding feared situations may prevent someone from discovering that they can cope with uncomfortable feelings.
Psychological therapy may therefore involve gradually working towards situations that have become associated with fear.
This process should be appropriate to the individual and their circumstances rather than simply forcing someone into situations they find overwhelming.
Over time, a person may learn that anxiety can increase and subsequently decrease without requiring escape.
Strategies for Managing Panic Symptoms
Different strategies work for different people, but psychological treatment may incorporate techniques for responding differently when anxiety appears.
These can include:
Controlled Breathing
Rapid breathing can intensify sensations such as dizziness and light-headedness.
Learning to slow breathing may help some people manage the escalation of physical anxiety symptoms.
Mindfulness and Grounding
Panic can pull attention towards frightening predictions about what might happen.
Grounding techniques redirect attention towards the present environment and immediate sensory experiences.
Understanding Your Triggers
Keeping track of when panic occurs can help identify patterns involving situations, thoughts, stress, sleep, caffeine or other factors.
Challenging Catastrophic Thoughts
Learning to recognise catastrophic interpretations can make it easier to examine them rather than automatically treating them as facts.
Healthy Lifestyle Habits
Regular exercise, sufficient sleep and reducing excessive caffeine or other stimulants may also form part of an overall anxiety-management approach.
These strategies are not replacements for professional assessment when symptoms are severe, persistent or unexplained.
When Should You Seek Professional Help?
Consider speaking with a psychologist, GP or other qualified health professional when panic attacks:
- Occur repeatedly
- Cause significant distress
- Affect your work or study
- Interfere with relationships
- Prevent you travelling or socialising
- Lead to increasing avoidance
- Cause persistent worry about future attacks
- Significantly affect your quality of life
Early support may help prevent avoidance and anxiety from becoming increasingly disruptive.
Finding a Psychologist Near Marrickville
Finding the right psychologist is about more than location. Feeling comfortable with your psychologist and having confidence in the therapeutic relationship are also important.
Dulwich Hill Psychology & Relationship Counselling is located at 41 Challis Avenue, Dulwich Hill and provides psychological support to people across Sydney’s Inner West.
Theodora Huggins provides a professional, respectful, caring and sensitive approach, with psychological strategies tailored to the needs and circumstances of the individual.
If you are looking for a psychologist Marrickville residents can access nearby, Dulwich Hill Psychology & Relationship Counselling may be an option to consider.
Frequently Asked Questions About Panic Attacks
- What does a panic attack feel like?
A panic attack can involve an intense surge of fear accompanied by symptoms such as a racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, trembling, sweating, dizziness, chest discomfort or fear of losing control. Experiences vary between individuals.
- Are panic attacks dangerous?
Panic attacks themselves can feel extremely frightening. However, some symptoms associated with panic can also occur with medical conditions. New, severe or unexplained chest pain, breathing difficulties or other concerning symptoms should receive appropriate medical assessment.
- What is the difference between anxiety and a panic attack?
Anxiety may develop gradually and can remain present for extended periods. A panic attack typically involves a more sudden and intense surge of fear accompanied by significant physical symptoms.
- Can stress cause panic attacks?
Stress can contribute to panic attacks in some people. Significant life changes, relationship difficulties, workplace pressures, grief, health concerns and other stressful experiences may increase vulnerability to anxiety.
- Can a psychologist help with panic attacks?
Yes. Psychological treatment can help people understand panic symptoms, recognise patterns that may be maintaining anxiety and develop practical strategies for responding differently to fearful thoughts, sensations and situations.
- Is CBT used for panic attacks?
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is commonly used for panic disorder. CBT can help people examine unhelpful interpretations of physical sensations and change patterns of thinking and behaviour that contribute to ongoing panic.
- Why am I afraid of having another panic attack?
After a frightening panic attack, it is understandable to become highly alert for signs that another attack is beginning. This anticipatory anxiety can sometimes contribute to a cycle of increased monitoring, anxiety and avoidance.
- Where can I find a psychologist near Marrickville for anxiety and panic attacks?
Dulwich Hill Psychology & Relationship Counselling is located at 41 Challis Avenue, Dulwich Hill, close to Marrickville and surrounding Inner West suburbs. You can contact the practice to discuss your circumstances and available psychological support.
Take the Next Step
Panic attacks can be distressing, but they do not have to dictate where you go, what you do or how you live your life.
Understanding your symptoms and the patterns surrounding them can be an important part of developing a healthier response to anxiety.
If recurring panic attacks or anxiety are affecting your everyday life and you are searching for a psychologist Marrickville residents can conveniently access, contact Dulwich Hill Psychology & Relationship Counselling to discuss psychological support with Theodora Huggins.