How Can Panic Disorder Be Treated?
Most specialists agree that a combination of cognitive and behavioral therapies are the best treatment for panic attacks. Medication might also be appropriate in some cases. The first part of therapy is largely informational; many people are greatly helped by simply understanding exactly what panic attacks are, and how many others suffer from it. Many people who suffer from panic attacks are worried that their panic attacks mean they’re ‘going crazy’ or that the panic might induce a heart attack. ‘Cognitive restructuring’ (changing one’s way of thinking) helps people replace those thoughts with more realistic, positive ways of viewing the attacks. Cognitive therapy can help the patient identify possible triggers for the attacks. The trigger in an individual case could be something like a thought, a situation, or something as subtle as a slight change in heartbeat. Once the patient understands that the panic attack is separate and independent of the trigger, that trigger begins to lose
