Our providers offer panic attack disorder therapy in Arlington, VA

Interventions for Panic Disorders in Arlington, VA—Counseling and Therapy for Panic Attacks

The therapists at Thriveworks Arlington love seeing their clients receive the holistic interventions they need for panic disorders. We regularly tailor treatment plans for clients that may include a combination of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, and/or medication to meet their particular symptoms and needs.

What Is a Panic Disorder?

Without warnings and without triggers, panic attacks can strike. If they occur more than once and if they obstruct normal, daily life, then they may be a panic disorder.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) outlines the criteria for diagnosing a panic disorder (DSM-5 300.01 [F41.0]):

• When people experience more than one panic attack (at least two) that involves acute fear, anxiety, and discomfort that build for several minutes and then wane. For a panic disorder diagnosis to be made, the panic attacks cannot be the result of another medical condition, a different psychiatric disorder, or the physiological effects of a drug.
• In particular, a minimum of four of the following symptoms must be present during the panic attack:
  • Numbness or tingling sensations
  • Feeling depersonalized or detached from oneself
  • Shaking or trembling
  • Feeling smothered or experiencing shortness of breath
  • A choking feeling
  • Chest pain or tightness
  • Palpitations or escalated heart rate
  • Fear of dying
  • Dizziness or faintness
  • Fear of going crazy or losing control
  • Hot flashes or chills
  • Sweating excessively
  • Abdominal pain or nausea
• After one of the attacks, experiencing either or both of the following responses for at least one month’s time:
  • Relentless worry about having more panic attacks and/or that other, similar health problems will occur (e.g., stroke or heart attack).
  • Switching one’s personal or professional schedule in the hope of avoiding another panic attack.

Panic Disorders: Effective Interventions

There are more effective treatments for panic disorders than self-medication or missing out on life. Panic attacks and thus panic disorders are often soothed by psychological interventions that also allow people to maintain their normal, daily routine. Such interventions may include:

• Exposure therapy: This intervention helps normalize the feelings and sensations of a panic attack, and then it empowers people with coping skills to handle them. Within a safe space and with a therapist’s guidance, people are exposed to a panic attack. As people understand what is happening to them during an attack and as they learn how to respond, the attacks often become less frequent and/or severe.
• Medication: This intervention is almost always combined with other therapies, and it often increases their effectiveness. Antidepressants or benzodiazepines may relieve attacks so that people can focus upon healing instead of dealing with panic.
• CBT: CBT addresses and seeks to heal any root causes of the panic attacks. It may help people resolve through past trauma or abuse as well as any negative thought patterns that have resulted from those experiences.

Therapy for Panic Attacks at Thriveworks Arlington

Thriveworks Arlington is ready to meet with you and help form an individualized treatment plan. If you call our office to set up therapy for a panic disorder, it might be helpful to know that:

• We accept many insurance plans.
• Evening and weekend appointments are available.
• First-time clients often see their therapist with a week of their first call to Thriveworks.
• You can also set up an appointment online.

Call Thriveworks today, or schedule online to get started.