Psychotherapy
CBT for panic, including interoceptive exposure, is highly effective. It helps you understand panic sensations, reduce fear of them and return to avoided situations.
Condition
Panic Disorder
Panic attacks feel frightening, but they are not dangerous — and they can be treated.
A panic attack is a sudden wave of intense fear with strong physical sensations, such as a racing heart, breathlessness or dizziness. In panic disorder, attacks happen unexpectedly and are followed by ongoing fear of the next one.
Many people first seek emergency care believing something is seriously wrong with their heart or breathing. Fear of attacks can lead to avoiding places, travel or exercise.
Panic disorder is one of the most treatable anxiety conditions, and many people recover well with focused therapy.
Understand the person. Understand the problem. Find the right path forward.
How it may show up
What Panic Disorder can look like
Everyone’s experience is different. You may recognise some of these, and not others.
Body
- Pounding or racing heart
- Shortness of breath or choking feeling
- Dizziness or light-headedness
- Sweating, trembling or tingling
Thoughts
- Fear of dying or collapsing
- Fear of losing control
- Feeling unreal or detached
Behaviour
- Avoiding places where attacks happened
- Carrying “safety” items
- Avoiding exercise or caffeine
- Repeated medical checks
Understanding the condition
The panic cycle
A harmless body sensation is interpreted as a sign of danger. Fear rises, which creates more physical sensations, which seem to confirm the danger — spiralling into a panic attack. Treatment helps the body and mind learn that these sensations are safe.
- Body Sensation
- Catastrophic Thought
- Rising Fear
- More Sensations
- Panic Attack
…and the cycle repeats.
Assessment at Psymate
The right treatment begins with the right understanding.
- Presenting symptoms
- Severity
- Duration and course
- Functional impact
- Associated psychiatric symptoms
- Physical and neurological factors
- Sleep
- Substance use
- Previous treatment
- Family history where relevant
- Risk and safety
- Physical health checks to rule out heart, thyroid or breathing causes
- Patterns of avoidance and safety behaviours
- Caffeine, alcohol and substance use
Start with a screening
The GAD-7 is a validated questionnaire that can help you reflect on your symptoms and their severity before you speak to a clinician.
Screening can help identify symptoms and severity. It does not establish a diagnosis.
Psychiatry — the clinical core
Psychiatry means more than medication.
Your psychiatrist brings together diagnosis, clinical formulation, treatment selection, coordination of care, measurement and review.
PsychotherapyPharmacotherapyNeuromodulationLifestyle & Sleep InterventionsFamily CareRehabilitation
One person. One clinical plan. Multiple therapeutic modalities.
Treatment
How Panic Disorder is treated
Treatment is planned around you. These are the core approaches your care may draw on.
Explore Psymate Therapy
Pharmacotherapy
Medication may be considered when panic is frequent or severe, or alongside therapy. It is individualised, started gradually, monitored for benefit and side effects, and reviewed over time.
Not a routine treatment
Neuromodulation
Neuromodulation is not a routine treatment for panic disorder. Your psychiatrist will discuss whether it has any role for co-occurring conditions such as depression.
Integrated care pathway
One connected path, from first conversation to lasting change.
- ASSESSA full picture of what you are experiencing
- UNDERSTANDA clear formulation, shared with you
- PERSONALISEA plan built around your goals
- TREATCBT for panic + Pharmacotherapy where needed
- MEASUREProgress tracked, not assumed
- REFINECare adjusted as you change
What recovery can look like
Recovery is more than fewer symptoms.
Fewer and less intense panic attacks
Less fear of body sensations
Freedom to travel and go out
Return to exercise and normal activities
Confidence managing future anxiety
With the right treatment, most people with panic disorder regain confidence and freedom in their daily lives.
When to seek help
Consider an assessment when:
- Repeated unexpected panic attacks
- Constant worry about having another attack
- Avoiding places or activities because of panic
- Symptoms are persistent or keep coming back
- They are causing you significant distress
- They are affecting relationships, work or education
- They are interfering with daily functioning
- They are becoming difficult to control
Urgent help
- Chest pain or breathlessness that is new, different or not settling — seek emergency medical care first
- Immediate risk of suicide
- Serious risk of self-harm
- Severe behavioural disturbance
- Being unable to keep yourself or others safe
- An acute medical or psychiatric emergency
The Psymate promise
What you can expect from us
- You will be heard.
- Your symptoms will be understood in context.
- Your treatment will be planned, not simply prescribed.
- Your progress will be measured.
- Your care will evolve with you.
You are a person before you are a diagnosis.
Begin Care
You don’t need to know what treatment you need before seeking help.
That is what assessment is for.
PSYMATE
Passion for healing meets the power of technology.
Science-led. Human-centred. Connected across the journey.