Home » Panic Disorder & Drug Addiction » Treatment for Panic Disorder

Treatment for Panic Disorder

Untreated panic disorders can dramatically impair your quality of life, triggering difficulties at home, work, or school.

Fortunately, panic disorder is a treatable condition. This guide outlines the most effective science-based interventions to help alleviate the frequency and intensity of panic attacks, improving overall functioning – psychotherapy and/or medications.

How is Panic Disorder Treated?

Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder that is characterized by panic attacks. Attacks occur frequently and unexpectedly, bringing on a wave of discomfort and fear. Panic attacks also tend to induce a loss of control, even in the absence of obvious triggers.

While panic attacks are central to panic disorder, not everyone who experiences panic attacks develops a panic disorder.

The main treatment options for panic attacks and panic disorder are psychotherapy and medications. Your treatment provider may recommend one or both of these approaches to treatment depending on factors that include:

Severity of your panic disorder
Co-occurring substance use disorders
Availability of therapists with specialist training
Your personal preference

Medications that may be effective for treating panic disorders include antidepressants and benzodiazepines. Behavioral interventions like CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) help to address negative and destructive thought patterns that may contribute to panic attacks, enabling you to reevaluate those thoughts.

Treatment for panic disorder may also include exposure to mindfulness practices and breathing techniques.

Before we highlight the effectiveness of pharmacological and behavioral interventions for panic disorder, what are the symptoms of panic attacks?

Symptoms of Panic Disorder

Panic disorder typically presents in the teens or in early adulthood. ADAA (Anxiety & Depression Association of America) reports that panic disorder impacts 6 million U.S. adults in any year. Women are more likely than men to develop panic disorders.

People diagnosed with panic disorder may experience the following symptoms:

Frequent and sudden panic attacks involving overwhelming fear and anxiety
Feeling of loss of control
Fear of impending doom
Intense worry about subsequent panic attacks
Avoidance of places where previous panic attacks have occurred

Panic attacks are also characterized by physical symptoms that may include:

Nausea
Racing heart
Chills
Sweating
Tremors
Difficulty breathing
Weakness
Dizziness
Tingly hands
Numb hands
Chest pain
Stomach pain

For a diagnosis of panic disorder according to DSM-5-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), the following conditions must be satisfied:

You have recurrent and unexpected panic attacks.

At least one panic attack was followed ongoing worry about another attack attack lasting for at least one month, or behavioral changes such as avoiding situations that you feel might trigger a panic attack.

Your panic attacks are not better explained by drug or alcohol use or by another mental health condition like social phobia or OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder).

If you experience panic attacks but you do not have a diagnosable panic disorder, you may still benefit from treatment. Untreated, the symptoms of panic attacks may develop into phobias or panic disorder.

How Effective are Treatments for Panic Disorder?

These are the most common treatments for panic attacks and panic disorder:

Antidepressants
Benzodiazepines
CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy)
Self-directed CBT
Antidepressants in combination with CBT

Antidepressants

Studies show that antidepressants may help those with panic disorders in the following ways:

Reduce the severity of panic attacks

Eliminate panic attacks
Improve quality of life

A meta-analysis of studies indicates that SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and TCAs (tricyclic antidepressants) are equally effective for reducing the frequency and severity of panic attacks.

MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors) may also be effective, but this older type of antidepressant is associated with more adverse side effects and safety concerns.

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines like Xanax can be highly effective for relieving the short-term symptoms of panic attacks. Tolerance to benzos forms rapidly, and this class of medication also has a high potential for abuse and addiction.

CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)

CBT (cognitive behavior therapy) is a form of psychotherapy or talk therapy that is proven effective for treating mental health conditions and addictions.

During CBT sessions, cognitive therapy focuses on identifying flawed thoughts and misinterpreted feelings, while behavior therapy includes relaxation, breathing exercises, and exposure).

Self-directed CBT

Some research supports the effectiveness of self-directed CBT via books and videos for the treatment of panic attacks.

Antidepressants in combination with CBT

Research suggests that CBT in combination with antidepressants is more effective during therapy. After the discontinuation of therapy, individuals who used CBT alone often enjoy superior outcomes to patients who used CBT in combination with antidepressants.