Panic attacks often arise unexpectedly. One moment, everything may feel normal, and the next, the body reacts with a surge of intensity: a racing heart, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, or dizziness. There may be a sense of detachment or fear of losing control. The experience is often deeply unsettling, especially when medical tests show nothing physically wrong.
For some, panic may be a one-time event, but for others, it becomes a recurring experience, sometimes leading to avoidance of certain situations or places where panic may happen again. Over time, these episodes can shape the way someone moves through the world, influencing daily choices and interactions.
In therapy, the goal is to explore the experience of panic, not simply as a collection of symptoms but as something with meaning and context. It may arise as the body’s way of signaling something that hasn’t yet been expressed or understood. The focus is on creating space to listen to these feelings and explore their underlying causes, without the immediate expectation of eliminating the experience but of gaining a deeper understanding.
