Panic Disorder Treatments

Talking Therapy as a Panic Disorder Treatment

One type of panic disorder treatment that more patients with panic disorders are more comfortable with are talking therapies. Obviously, the primary mechanism of this type of treatment does not involve any chemicals or medicine that should be ingested by the patient. Thus, more patients would rather have this type of therapy to alleviate their disorder. Furthermore, this type of therapy can assist patients in overcoming various issues, from stress to depression, and not just pans disorders. In this type of treatment, the aim is to decrease the number of panic attacks the patient has, and to ease the level of the patient's symptoms.

Psychological therapy is known to give patients a number of benefits in the long term. This therapy is highly recommended as a treatment for patients with panic disorder. If a patient agrees to undergo psychological therapy for panic disorder, it will normally come in the form of CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy. CBT is thought to be one of the most effective panic disorder treatments and will require the patient to have weekly sessions where he or she will be talking to a therapist. The therapist can ask the patient questions regarding his or her reaction when having panic attacks, or what he or she is thinking about at the exact time he or she is experiencing an attack.

This panic disorder treatment involves the therapist and patient sorting out thoughts and beliefs that are negative and working to replace them with more balanced and realistic thoughts. The therapist will teach the patient of ways to change his or her behavior, which in turn will allow him or her to effectively deal with panic attacks in the future. An example of these coping mechanisms would be proper techniques in breathing that will be a huge help for patients when they calm down during a stress-filled panic attack. For these sessions to be maximized in its effectiveness, a total of fourteen hours of CT sessions are recommended, to be spread out within four months. Treatment of the patient should involve at least one session lasting for two hours, to be done once per week.

In some cases of panic disorder, a shorter program of cognitive behavioral therapy is recommended. The shorter program may involve a decreased number of hours of CBT with an addition of "homework" being given to patients within sessions so that they can perfect what was learned after each session. It is imperative that the patient visits his or her physician regularly during his or her CBT course, so that progress can be monitored and the general disposition of the patient can be assessed.

It is also important that a patient should always consult his or her physician before undergoing any panic disorder treatment, especially if it involves medication. These articles are only for information purposes, so that a patient can know of the different options and allow for a more informed discussion with his or her physician. Professional help is necessary to obtain successful results.

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