How CBT Can Help You Gain the Upper Hand Over Panic Disorder

Living with panic disorder is challenging, and many Pennsylvania residents have tried numerous ways to control their condition and gain the upper hand. If you’re still searching for the best treatment approach, you may want to consider how cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help. 

Brightmind Wellness offers telepsychiatry services to patients across Pennsylvania. When you partner with Grace Muthami, PMHNP-BC, for care, you have access to a wide range of treatment modalities, including medication management and talk therapy options, including CBT. 

Panic disorder can affect daily life in numerous ways

Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder, one that can be incredibly disruptive to your daily life. The primary way that panic disorder manifests is through panic attacks. 

A panic attack creates a combination of the following symptoms:

• Sense of danger or impending doom
• Shortness of breath
• Sweating
• Rapid heartbeat
• Fear of death or loss of control
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Chest pain
• Headache
• Hot flashes

You might experience a few or many of these symptoms during a panic attack, and one attack can be very different from the next. Worst of all, panic attacks can come on suddenly, without warning, and with no clear cause. 

While many aspects of panic disorder are disruptive to daily routines, it’s often the unpredictable nature of the condition that is most detrimental. 

Here’s how cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) works

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of psychotherapy, also called talk therapy. It’s structured, meaning that it focuses on one or more specific mental health issues and is goal-oriented. 

In CBT, you’ll work with Grace to explain how anxiety affects your life, when it develops, and what you’ve tried to do in the past to ease your symptoms. This information helps her shape your customized care approach. 

The root concept in cognitive behavioral therapy is that our psychological issues are at least partly rooted in problematic thinking, learned behavior, and false core beliefs. CBT is also centered on the idea that just as we’ve learned and embraced these thought habits over time, we can also learn better ways to cope. 

What happens during CBT sessions?

There are a number of different ways to conduct CBT sessions. If you haven’t worked with Grace previously, it may take a few visits for you to fully explain your needs and goals and to develop a trusting therapeutic relationship. 

Grace will ask questions about your past experiences, any fears or phobias you’re living with, and the ways your thought patterns affect your everyday life. She can then help you learn to identify when thoughts are not in line with reality, or when they are simply unhelpful. 

Next, you’ll work together to change your perspective and begin to replace negative thought patterns with more positive ones. Once you’ve developed this skill, you may find yourself applying it in a number of different circumstances. 

Not only can CBT help you manage anxiety and panic disorder, but it’s also helpful for a wide range of other mental health conditions, including:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Depression
• Eating disorders
• Substance use disorder

These skills can even help you navigate personal issues like relationship struggles, work stress, grief, or adjusting to life changes. 

Are you ready to give CBT a try?

Living with panic disorder can be indescribably frustrating. If you’re like many people, you’ve probably already tried a number of different ways to control and manage the condition. Cognitive behavioral therapy can be used as a stand-alone treatment or in conjunction with medication, depending on your unique needs. 

If you’d like to explore CBT in greater detail, or want to give this approach a try, the first step is reaching out to Brightmind Wellness online or by phone to set up a telehealth visit. You’ll be able to connect with Grace through a video call, allowing you to get the support and guidance you need without having to leave the comfort and convenience of home or work. 

Call our office in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, today to check appointment availability. Online booking is also an option, and can be accessed day or night.