Understanding Panic

An accessible and informative guide to understanding panic, written specifically for clients.

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Guide (PDF)

A psychoeducational guide. Typically containing elements of skills development.

Overview

Our ‘Understanding…’ series is a collection of psychoeducation guides for common mental health conditions. Friendly and explanatory, they are comprehensive sources of information for your clients. Concepts are explained in an easily digestible way, with plenty of case examples and accessible diagrams. Understanding Panic is designed to help clients suffering from panic attacks and panic disorder understand more about their condition.

Why Use This Resource?

This guide aims to help clients learn more about panic attacks and panic disorder (PD). It explains what PD is, what the common symptoms are, and effective ways to address it, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Identify symptoms of PD and the factors that contribute to it.
Understand what keeps PD going.
Explore effective treatments for PD.
Gain insights into how people experience PD and how they overcome it.

Key Benefits

Comprehensive

Explores what panic disorder (PD) is and what maintains it.

Relatable

Contains detailed examples and relatable case studies.

Supportive

Written in a friendly and accessible manner.

Hopeful

Outlines effective treatment options.

Who is this for?

Panic Disorder (PD)

Designed to help clients understand and learn more about PD.

Panic Attacks

Helps clients explore their experiences with panic.

Integrating it into your practice

Assess

Identify clients who may be experiencing panic disorder (PD).

Provide the guide to clients who could benefit from it.

Educate

Use the content to inform clients about PD and help normalize their experiences.

Reflect

Discuss the client's personal experience with PD.

Intervene

Plan treatment with the client or direct them to other sources of help and support.

Theoretical Background & Therapist Guidance

A panic attack is a sudden and intense episode of fear that is typically accompanied by pronounced physiological sensations - such as a racing heart, breathlessness, dizziness, or shaking - and catastrophic interpretations, such as fears of losing control, going crazy, or dying. Although panic attacks are experienced as highly distressing, they are not physically harmful.

Clients who become preoccupied with the fear of future panic attacks and engage in behaviours aimed at avoiding or preventing them may meet diagnostic criteria for panic disorder. This condition is characterised by persistent worry about having further attacks and maladaptive behavioural responses, such as avoidance or safety-seeking.

Epidemiological studies suggest that panic disorder affects approximately 1-3% of the population annually, while isolated panic attacks are even more common. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a highly effective intervention for panic disorder. Evidence indicates that around 80% of individuals who complete a full course of CBT for panic disorder are panic-free at the end of treatment (Rees et al., 2016).

What's inside

Introduction to panic attacks and panic disorder (PD).
Guidance for introducing and using the resource with clients.
Key references for learning more about PD.

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FAQs

Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks - sudden surges of intense fear or discomfort - along with ongoing worry about having more attacks or their consequences.

Important maintenance factors include misinterpreting bodily sensations, being on the lookout for 'dangerous' body sensations, avoidance, and safety behaviors.

CBT is an effective therapy that focuses on addressing maladaptive thoughts and behaviors that maintain PD and panic attacks.

How This Resource Improves Clinical Outcomes

By using this resource in their clinical practice, therapists can:

Identify individuals who may be experiencing panic disorder (PD).
Help clients better understand their difficulties and what maintains them.
Explore treatment options.
Encourage hope and optimism about change.

Clinicians Who Use This Resource Also Use

Mastery Of Your Anxiety And Panic (Fifth Edition): Therapist Guide

References And Further Reading

Rees, R., Stokes, G., Stansfield, C., Oliver, E., Kneale, D., & Thomas, J. (2016). Prevalence of mental health disorders in adult minority ethnic populations in England: a systematic review. Department of Health.
Kessler, R. C., Chiu, W. T., Demler, O., & Walters, E. E. (2005). Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of 12-month DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62(6), 617-627.
Clark, D.M. and Salkovskis P. (2009). Cognitive Therapy for Panic Disorder: Manual for IAPT high intensity therapists. Retrieved from: https://web.archive.org/web/20190704101855/https://www.kss-ppn.nhs.uk/resources/publications/12-cognitive-therapy-for-panic-disorder-iapt-manual/file
Fleet, R. P., Dupuis, G., Marchand, A., Burelle, D., Arsenault, A., & Beitman, B. D. (1996). Panic disorder in emergency department chest pain patients: prevalence, comorbidity, suicidal ideation, and physician recognition. The American Journal of Medicine, 101(4), 371-380.
Schmidt, N. B., Zvolensky, M. J., & Maner, J. K. (2006). Anxiety sensitivity: Prospective prediction of panic attacks and Axis I pathology. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 40(8), 691-699.
Ehlers, A. (1993). Somatic symptoms and panic attacks: a retrospective study of learning experiences. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 31, 269-278.
Cox, B. J. (1996). The nature and assessment of catastrophic thoughts in panic disorder. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 34(4), 363-374.
Pompoli, A., Furukawa, T. A., Imai, H., Tajika, A., Efthimiou, O., & Salanti, G. (2016). Psychological therapies for panic disorder with or without agoraphobia in adults: a network meta-analysis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (4).
Clark, D. M. (1986). A cognitive approach to panic. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 24(4), 461-470.
Salkovskis, P. M., Clark, D. M., & Gelder, M. G. (1996). Cognition-behaviour links in the persistence of panic. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 34(5-6), 453-458.
Funayama, T., Furukawa, T. A., Nakano, Y., Noda, Y., Ogawa, S., Watanabe, N., ... & Noguchi, Y. (2013). In-situation safety behaviors among patients with panic disorder: Descriptive and correlational study. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 67(5), 332-339.
Furukawa, T. A., Watanabe, N., & Churchill, R. (2007). Combined psychotherapy plus antidepressants for panic disorder with or without agoraphobia. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (1).
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2011). Generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder in adults: management. Retrieved from: NICE Guidance (https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg113/resources/generalised-anxiety-disorder-and-panic-disorder-in-adults-management-pdf-35109387756997)

A Guide To Emotions

Understanding Panic

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Guide (PDF)

Overview

Why Use This Resource?