Panic Attacks

What is a Panic Attack?

A Panic Attack is a specific, intense exaggeration of autonomic arousal that increases your body’s normal response to fear, stress or excitement. It is the rapid build-up of overwhelming physical sensations, accompanied by intense apprehension, fear or terror without any apparent cause. This misinterpretation of your body cues generates a cycle where your anxiety increases, leading to more symptoms, leading to more anxiety, spiralling into full panic as your fear feeds upon itself – a true vicious circle.

What are the causes of Panic Attacks?

 As is the case with most Mental Health issues, research demonstrates that there is likely to be a number of key factors that may increase the likelihood of you suffering from panic attacks.  Just some examples are: genetic factors, short-term emotional triggers, substance withdrawal, certain medications, situation avoidance, dysfunctional beliefs.

What are the symptoms of Panic Attacks?

A Panic Attack will generally last between 5 and 20 minutes, usually peaking within 10 minutes. For some, these attacks may be months apart; for others, they may be daily or weekly occurrences. Common symptoms are: shortness of breath, accelerated heart rate, palpitations, sweating, nausea, trembling, feeling faint, flushes, chills, fear that dying, fear of going crazy.

 How can Hypnotherapy help?

Now having more of an understanding of what a panic attack is, I would suggest we re-frame “panic attacks” as  “heightened stimulation.” I will then work with you to  understand what exactly happens when you experience a state of heightened stimulation and this is done by you giving me a step by step breakdown of what you experience when in a state of heightened stimulation.

I will  then agree with you what positive outcome(s) you want  from working with me using hypnotherapy   – please go to Hypnotherapy Session Structure to understand how hypnotherapy works.

Having listened to you, I can then explain the relevant hypnotherapy techniques that I think will suit you best, together with some suggestions outside hypnotherapy,  and we can agree on the way forward ie to agree:

• The number of sessions you may need or we can just proceed one session at a time – it is entirely up to you
• Whether or not some self-hypnosis between sessions and/or after the sessions have ended would be beneficial for you
• Whether or not some additional work between sessions that you can do yourself would help your progress in dealing with your heightened stimulation

Rest assured that by collaborating and working together, we can achieve the positive changes you are looking for.