Anxiety Therapy Orlando: Everything You Need to Know About Panic Attacks
Written by: Mindful Living Staff
Have you ever suddenly felt your heart racing, your chest tightening, your breathing changing, or a wave of fear come over you seemingly out of nowhere? You may have wondered, What is happening to me?
If you have experienced a panic attack, you know how intense and frightening it can feel. A panic attack can make you feel like you are losing control, that something terrible is about to happen, or even that you are having a medical emergency.
As an anxiety therapist in Orlando, we often work with people who experience panic attacks and the fear that can come with them. One of the most important things to understand is that while panic attacks can feel extremely scary, understanding what is happening in your body and learning how to respond can make them feel much less overwhelming.
In this blog, we are going to talk about everything you need to know about panic attacks, including what they are, why they happen, what they feel like, how to respond when one is happening, and how anxiety therapy Orlando can help.
What Is a Panic Attack?
A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear or discomfort that can come on quickly. During a panic attack, your body's nervous system responds as though you are in immediate danger, even when there is no actual threat in front of you. Your brain and body are designed to protect you. When your nervous system senses danger, it can activate the fight, flight, freeze, or fawn response. This response prepares your body to survive a threat.
The problem is that your nervous system does not always accurately distinguish between a real or perceived danger and an emotional or psychological threat.
For example, your body may react to:
A stressful thought
A memory
A physical sensation
A stressful situation
Health worries
Trauma reminders
Feeling trapped
Fear of losing control
Too much stress or stimulation
The result can be a sudden surge of adrenaline and other stress hormones. Your heart beats faster, your breathing changes, your muscles tense, and your attention narrows to detecting danger. This can create a cycle in which the physical sensations themselves become frightening. You might notice your heart racing and think, Something is wrong with my heart. That thought creates more fear, and that fear then creates more physical symptoms. You notice those symptoms and become even more afraid. Suddenly, you are in the middle of a panic attack.
What Does a Panic Attack Feel Like?
Panic attacks can look different from person to person. Some people experience primarily physical symptoms, while others experience intense fear, racing thoughts, or a feeling that something terrible is about to happen.
Common panic attack symptoms include:
Rapid heartbeat or pounding heart
Chest tightness or discomfort
Shortness of breath
Feeling like you cannot get enough air
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Shaking or trembling
Sweating
Chills or hot flashes
Nausea or stomach discomfort
Tingling or numbness
Feeling detached from yourself
Feeling that your surroundings are unreal
Feeling out of control
Fear of dying
Fear of fainting
Fear of losing control
Fear that something is seriously wrong
One of the most difficult parts of a panic attack is that the symptoms are real. You are not imagining your racing heart or difficulty catching your breath. Your body is genuinely having a stress response. Understanding this can be an important first step toward reducing the fear surrounding panic attacks.
Why Do Panic Attacks Happen?
There is not always one obvious reason someone experiences a panic attack. Sometimes panic attacks happen during periods of significant stress. Other times, they seem to come completely out of nowhere. Some common factors that can contribute to panic attacks include anxiety, chronic stress, trauma, major life changes, sleep deprivation, overstimulation, and certain substances or medications.
For some people, a panic attack begins with a physical sensation. Your heart skips a beat, you feel dizzy, you notice that you are breathing differently, and your brain interprets the sensation as dangerous, which increases your fear. That fear activates your nervous system even more, creating additional physical symptoms.
Can Stress Cause Panic Attacks?
Yes, ongoing stress can contribute to panic attacks. When your body is constantly dealing with stress, your nervous system may have less opportunity to return to a calm, regulated state. You may become more sensitive to physical sensations, changes in your environment, or thoughts that would normally feel manageable.
This does not mean that everyone who experiences stress will have panic attacks. It just means that prolonged stress can make your nervous system more reactive. This is also why learning about your window of tolerance and nervous system regulation can be an important part of anxiety treatment.
If you want to learn more about stress, read Anxiety Therapist Shares How to Deal with Stress and Anxiety.
Can Anxiety Cause Panic Attacks?
Anxiety and panic attacks are closely connected, but they are not the same thing. Anxiety often involves ongoing worry, anticipation, or fear about something that might happen. A panic attack is more like a sudden surge of intense fear or physical distress.
Someone might experience anxiety for hours or days before experiencing a panic attack. Other people may experience a panic attack without feeling particularly anxious immediately beforehand. After a panic attack, however, anxiety can sometimes increase because you begin worrying about having another one.
This creates another cycle: Panic attack → fear of another panic attack → increased anxiety → increased attention to physical sensations → more fear → another panic attack.
Panic Attack vs. Anxiety Attack
People often use the terms "panic attack" and "anxiety attack" interchangeably, but they are not official synonyms.
A panic attack generally involves a sudden and intense surge of fear or discomfort that peaks relatively quickly. Anxiety tends to build more gradually and can last much longer. For example, you might spend hours worrying about an upcoming event, feeling tense and unable to relax. That would be more consistent with anxiety.
A panic attack may feel more sudden: your heart starts racing, your breathing changes, you become dizzy, and you suddenly feel terrified. You can experience both anxiety and panic attacks, and they can influence each other.
Panic Attack vs. Heart Attack
One of the biggest fears during a panic attack is that you are having a heart attack. Some panic attack symptoms can resemble symptoms of a heart problem, including chest discomfort, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, sweating, and dizziness. Because of this, you should never assume that new, severe, or concerning symptoms are "just anxiety."
If you have symptoms that could indicate a medical emergency, especially severe or new chest pain, difficulty breathing, fainting, or symptoms that concern you, seek immediate medical attention.
Once a medical cause has been ruled out, learning about the anxiety response can help you understand why your body may still produce such intense physical sensations.
How Long Does a Panic Attack Last?
Panic attacks can feel much longer than they actually are because the intensity of the experience can make time feel distorted. The most intense part of a panic attack often peaks within minutes, although symptoms can continue longer and you may feel exhausted, shaky, or emotionally drained afterward.
It is also possible to experience waves of panic or anxiety that make it feel like the panic attack is lasting indefinitely. One of the most helpful things you can learn is that you do not have to make the panic disappear immediately. Instead, you can learn to allow the wave to rise, peak, and eventually come down.
What Should You Do During a Panic Attack?
When you are having a panic attack, your first instinct may be to fight the sensations or make them stop as quickly as possible. Understandably, you may think: I need to get out of here. I need to make this stop. Something is wrong. I cannot handle this.
But fighting the sensations can sometimes increase your fear of them. Instead, try reminding yourself: "My nervous system is activated. This feels scary, but I can allow my body to move through this."
If you’re around a loved one who can help support you, we encourage you to read 7 Tips for Helping Someone Through a Panic Attack.
1. Focus on the Present Moment
Rather than trying to predict what is going to happen next, bring your attention back to what is happening right now.
You can notice:
What you see
What you hear
What you feel physically
Where your feet are touching the ground
What is happening around you
Grounding can help shift your attention away from catastrophic thoughts and back toward the present. If you would like to learn a useful grounding technique, read 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding.
2. Be Careful With Your Breathing
Many people instinctively try to take very large, deep breaths during a panic attack. For some people, over-breathing can actually make sensations such as dizziness or tingling worse. Instead of forcing a huge breath, try to slow your breathing and allow your exhale to be comfortable and gentle.
The goal is not to breathe perfectly; instead, the goal is to communicate to your nervous system that you are safe enough to slow down. We recommend the Box Breathing Technique: A Tool for Anxiety.
3. Stop Checking for Danger
During panic, you may repeatedly check your pulse, monitor your breathing, search symptoms online, or ask someone else if you look okay. These behaviors can provide temporary reassurance, but they can also teach your brain that the sensations are dangerous and require constant monitoring. Learning to notice the sensation without immediately responding to it can gradually reduce its power.
What If You Are Afraid of Having Another Panic Attack?
This is common after experiencing a frightening panic attack; you may start thinking:
"What if it happens again?"
You may begin avoiding certain places or stop driving, avoid exercising because your heart rate increases, avoid being alone, sit near exits in restaurants or theaters, or monitor your body for signs of another attack.
Unfortunately, avoiding situations can strengthen the fear over time.
Your brain may begin learning:
"I was safe because I avoided that situation."
Instead, anxiety therapy can help you gradually learn:
"I can experience uncomfortable sensations and still be okay."
This process can help reduce the fear of panic itself.
What Is Panic Disorder?
Having a panic attack does not automatically mean that you have panic disorder.
Panic disorder involves recurrent unexpected panic attacks along with ongoing concern or changes in behavior related to the possibility of having another attack.
For example, someone may constantly worry about another panic attack or significantly change their routines because they are afraid of experiencing one. If panic attacks or fear of panic are interfering with your life, it may be worth talking with a mental health professional.
The Connection Between Panic Attacks and the Nervous System
One of the reasons I find nervous system education so helpful in anxiety therapy is that it can change the way you interpret what your body is doing.
Instead of: "My heart is racing. Something is wrong." You can begin to understand: "My nervous system is activated, and my body is trying to protect me."
That does not mean every physical symptom should be dismissed as anxiety. Instead, it means that once medical concerns have been appropriately addressed, understanding your body's stress response can help reduce the fear surrounding normal anxiety sensations.
The goal is not to eliminate every uncomfortable sensation. The goal is to become less afraid of the sensations when they occur.
How Anxiety Therapy Orlando Can Help With Panic Attacks
If you are experiencing panic attacks, anxiety therapy at Mindful Living Counseling Orlando can help you understand what is happening and develop tools to respond differently.
Therapy may focus on identifying the thoughts, behaviors, and situations that contribute to your panic. It can also help you understand patterns of avoidance, reassurance seeking, catastrophic thinking, and fear of physical sensations.
Depending on your individual needs, therapy may incorporate approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based strategies, exposure-based techniques, EMDR therapy, or other evidence-based approaches.
For people with trauma histories, panic symptoms may also be connected to experiences that have left the nervous system feeling particularly sensitive to perceived danger. Therapy can provide a space to explore those experiences safely and work toward feeling more secure in your body and relationships.
Can You Stop Panic Attacks From Happening?
There is no guaranteed way to prevent every panic attack. However, you can learn to reduce the fear and avoidance that often keep the panic cycle going.
Here are 10 things you can do:
Learning your personal anxiety triggers
Understanding your nervous system
Practicing grounding skills
Addressing chronic stress
Improving your relationship with uncomfortable physical sensations
Challenging catastrophic thoughts
Reducing avoidance
Working through trauma when appropriate
Developing healthier coping strategies
Learning how to respond to panic without reinforcing the fear
The goal is not to live your life trying to make sure you never experience anxiety. The goal is to build confidence in your ability to handle anxiety when it shows up.
When Should You See an Anxiety Therapist?
You do not have to wait until panic attacks become severe before seeking help. Consider working with an anxiety therapist at Mindful Living Counseling if you:
Frequently experience panic attacks
Are afraid of having another panic attack
Avoid places or activities because of panic
Constantly monitor your body for symptoms
Frequently seek reassurance about your health
Feel like anxiety is controlling your daily life
Have difficulty leaving home or being alone
Feel overwhelmed by worry
Experience anxiety connected to trauma or past experiences
Want to understand why your nervous system reacts so strongly
Therapy can help you move from "How do I make this feeling go away?" toward "How can I understand this feeling and respond to it differently?" That shift can be incredibly powerful.
You Are Not Your Panic
One of the most important things I want people experiencing panic attacks to know is that a panic attack does not mean you are weak, broken, or losing your mind; instead, remind yourself that your body is responding to a perceived threat.
The sensations can be incredibly uncomfortable, but you can learn to understand them rather than automatically fearing them. You can learn that a racing heart does not necessarily mean danger, anxiety sensations can rise and fall, you do not have to avoid everything that makes you uncomfortable, and you can learn that feeling anxious does not mean you are incapable of handling what comes next.
Looking for Anxiety Therapy Orlando?
If panic attacks or anxiety are getting in the way of your daily life, you do not have to figure it out alone. Working with an anxiety therapist can help you understand your symptoms, identify the patterns keeping anxiety going, and develop tools that support lasting change.
At Mindful Living Counseling, we work with individuals experiencing anxiety, panic, trauma, relationship anxiety, and other challenges that can make it difficult to feel safe and grounded. If you are ready to understand your anxiety rather than constantly fighting it, therapy can be a place to start.
Anxiety Therapy Orlando Additional Resources
Guided Meditation for Anxiety: Five Sense Grounding
An Anxiety Therapist Shares Everything You Need to Know About Anxiety
51 Grounding Techniques to Help You Feel Grounded Now
An Anxiety Therapist Shares Everything You Need to Know About Anxiety
Anxiety Therapist Shares A Guided Meditation: Box Breathing
Anxiety Therapist Orlando Shares 4 Steps to Manage Anxiety
Therapy Services Available at Mindful Living Counseling
About Anxiety Therapist: Lauran Daugherty Hahn, LMHC
Lauran Daugherty Hahn, LMHC, is a compassionate licensed therapist at Mindful Living Counseling Orlando who understands the challenges of coping with trauma, anxiety, and the impact of toxic relationships. With her specialized training as a certified EMDR Therapist and EMDRIA-approved consultant, she is dedicated to guiding individuals on their healing journeys.
Currently, Lauran is welcoming new clients for EMDR Intensives, offering in-person therapy in Orlando. She creates a warm and supportive environment where clients can feel safe and understood as they work toward feeling less trapped by anxiety and more engaged in their daily lives. If you’re ready to take steps toward healing and empowerment, Lauran is here to support you every step of the way.