Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder
When fear arrives out of nowhere
What is Panic Attack?
A panic attack can feel like one of the most frightening experiences a person can have. Your heart pounds, your chest tightens, the world around you starts to feel unreal — and often there’s no obvious reason for any of it. Many people who experience their first panic attack genuinely believe something is seriously wrong with them physically, and end up in hospital or at their GP only to be told that there’s nothing medically wrong. That moment of confusion and relief, mixed with the lingering fear of it happening again, is something many people know all too well.
Panic attacks involve a sudden surge of intense fear that rises quickly and can feel completely overwhelming. They affect up to 4% of the population, which means you are far from alone in this — even if it can feel that way in the moment.
The physical experience of a panic attack can be intense and alarming. You might notice your heart racing or pounding, shortness of breath, trembling, chest pain, dizziness, or a choking sensation. Some people experience nausea, tingling, chills or hot flushes, or a strange sense of being detached from themselves or the world around them. Symptoms tend to peak within about ten minutes, though in the midst of it that can feel like an eternity.
It’s very common during a panic attack to become convinced that something catastrophic is happening — that you’re having a heart attack, losing your mind, or that something is seriously, dangerously wrong. These thoughts feel completely real in the moment, and they amplify the fear. Understanding that they are a feature of the panic itself, rather than a reflection of reality, is one of the most important steps toward recovery.
When Panic Attacks become Panic Disorder
For some people, the fear of having another panic attack becomes a problem in itself. You might start avoiding places or situations where you’ve previously panicked — a supermarket queue, a crowded space, anywhere that feels hard to leave quickly. Over time this avoidance can quietly expand, reshaping your life around the fear in ways that become increasingly limiting.
This is known as panic disorder, and it’s important to know that it responds very well to the right support.
How We Can Help
At BlueSky Psychology, our experienced psychologists use approaches that research has consistently shown to be highly effective for both panic attacks and panic disorder.
Cognitive behavioural therapy helps you understand and gently challenge the thoughts that fuel panic — learning to recognise what’s happening in your body and mind during an attack, and developing the ability to respond differently in those moments. Exposure therapy works by gradually and carefully reintroducing you to situations you’ve been avoiding, building your confidence and reducing the power those situations hold over time.
Panic attacks are highly treatable. With the right support, most people see significant improvement, and many find that what once felt unmanageable becomes something they can move through and past.
Your Experience at BlueSky
If panic has been affecting your life, we’d love to help. Book an appointment online or call us on 08 8212 3944. You’ll find us at Level 10, 108 King William Street, Adelaide.
Your Adelaide Psychologists
Our practice is dedicated to facilitating a safe container where you can explore your challenges and find your path to greater well-being. We have an experienced and diverse team who focus on establishing a safe and compassionate therapeutic alliance and use evidence-based therapeutic approaches for our counselling services. Treatment can be delivered in-person or via Telehealth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a panic attack feel like?
A panic attack involves a sudden surge of intense fear or discomfort that peaks within minutes. Common symptoms include a racing or pounding heart, chest tightness or pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, trembling, sweating, nausea, tingling sensations, and a feeling of losing control or impending doom. They can be extremely frightening but are not physically dangerous.
Can a panic attack kill you?
No. While panic attack symptoms can mimic those of a heart attack and feel terrifying, they are not medically dangerous. The symptoms are caused by your body’s fight-or-flight response, not by any actual physical threat. However, if you experience chest pain for the first time, it is important to get a medical assessment to rule out cardiac causes.
What is the difference between a panic attack and an anxiety attack?
A panic attack is a specific clinical term for a sudden, intense episode of fear with distinct physical symptoms that peaks within minutes. ‘Anxiety attack’ is not a formal diagnosis but is often used to describe a more gradual build-up of anxiety that can be intense but typically does not come on as suddenly or peak as sharply.
What causes panic attacks out of nowhere?
Many panic attacks appear to occur without an obvious trigger. Often, subtle physical sensations — such as a slight increase in heart rate from caffeine, stress, or exertion — are misinterpreted by the brain as dangerous, triggering a cascade of anxiety that escalates into a full panic attack. Therapy helps you understand and interrupt this cycle.
What is the best treatment for panic disorder?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) combined with Exposure Therapy is the most effective psychological treatment. CBT helps you understand that panic sensations, while uncomfortable, are not dangerous, and teaches you to manage them rather than fear them. Most people experience significant improvement within 6 to 10 sessions.
How do I stop a panic attack when it's happening?
Helpful in-the-moment strategies include slow, controlled breathing (breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 4, out for 6), grounding techniques like the 3-3-3 rule, reminding yourself that the symptoms will pass and are not dangerous, and staying in the situation rather than fleeing. Learning these skills in therapy makes them far more effective.
Will I need medication for panic attacks?
Many people overcome panic disorder with CBT alone. In severe cases, medication such as SSRIs may be recommended alongside therapy. Short-term use of other medications may be considered for acute relief. Your psychologist and GP can work together to determine the most appropriate plan.
Take the First Step
If panic is affecting your life, we’re here to help. Our central Adelaide location makes it easy to access the support you need.
Contact us today:
Phone: 08 8212 3944
Book online or call to speak with our team
BlueSky Psychology
Level 10, 108 King William Street
Adelaide, South Australia, 5000