Tennessee Mental Health Treatment for Panic Disorder

The jolt in your stomach. The heaviness that almost knocks you off your feet. Surprises aren’t always the fun type. Panic attacks strike on a whim to induce fear, but the good news is that panic disorder treatment works. And you’re not alone.

Panic attacks are relatively common. 11% of U.S. adults have a panic attack at least once a year. Females have double the chances of a panic attack than males. Though they share similar names and relationships, panic attacks are a symptom of panic disorder. This disorder can be debilitating and cause a person to retreat into themselves for fear of experiencing an attack in public. Though it may feel hopeless, TRUE Addiction and Behavioral Health can help restore that hope through comprehensive and evidence-based mental health services.

Defining Panic Disorders

This type of anxiety disorder is volatile in occurrence and severity. Panic disorders make it hard to separate facts from feelings. The feelings behind the disorder can be complex and consuming. 

2-3% of Americans experience panic disorder in a year.  People with panic disorder have panic attacks at the drop of a hat (sometimes). When a panic attack strikes, there’s no guesswork to know what’s happening. A rush of fear that can feel paralyzing prevents the ability to stop it. The distress is real —  the danger is not.

Panic attacks have physical symptoms like shaking, tingling, and a racing heart. There is a lot of unrest about the next unexpected panic attack. Individuals will go to great lengths to not repeat it.

A panic attack can occur more than once daily or as rare as once a year. This disorder starts in the later teenage years, growing into adulthood. Women are more prone to having the disorder than men. 

What Causes Panic Disorder?

Panic disorder is linked to family genes, but no one knows why some family members do and some don’t.  Areas of the brain and certain biological processes may play a huge role in fear and anxiety. Some researchers believe panic attacks are “false alarms.” The body’s typical survival instincts are active, either too often, too strong, or both. It’s turning a racing heart into a full heart attack. 

Do I Have a Panic Disorder?

A panic attack doesn’t automatically mean that you suffer from a panic disorder. The industry guide lists these symptoms of panic disorder:

• Frequent and out-of-the-blue panic attacks
• Constant concern about it for a month or more after the attack.
• Ongoing worry about the aftermath of an attack. Examples include losing control, “going crazy,” or having a heart attack.

It’s important to ensure drugs, a medical condition, or another mental health condition are not the cause. If you have panic attacks but not a panic disorder diagnosis, our effective treatment can benefit you greatly. You can learn more about how panic disorder is diagnosed here.

Do I Need Panic Disorder Treatment?

Proven treatment from a panic disorder treatment program is key for long-term recovery. Panic disorder can take control of your life without a pause. If you don’t confront the disorder, the side effects can impact your quality of life in many ways. It can also lead to other anxiety disorders emerging. Panic attacks can occur during a calm or anxious state.

Treatment is an essential step to avoid problems like:

• Developing a phobia or excessive fear of an object or situation.
• A constant need for medical care due to health worries, real or imagined.
• Avoiding social situations and being afraid to leave safe surroundings. This can escalate into agoraphobia.
• Mood disorders like depression or other types of anxiety grow.
• Using drugs or alcohol to cope with the symptoms leads to dependence.
• Problems with work performance or school work and attendance.
• Increased risk of suicide or suicidal thoughts (suicidal ideation).
• Financial hardships.

The symptoms take away more of your life and sense of self. TRUE is your source of healing to live a productive life.

Why Choose TRUE’s Tennessee Mental Health Treatment 

Many rehab centers in Tennessee and beyond claim to know this unique disorder. Our vision has become our mission at TRUE in Nashville.  We use the industry’s top methods in our Tennessee Mental Health Treatment plans tailored to your transformation.

Here’s what sets us apart.

We respect and act with our client’s needs first. We are mental health professionals that foster a calm environment with amenities to enjoy.

We support each person’s whole self. Ben Dobbs, founded TRUE out of a lack of specialized mental health care. His triumph over 15 years of addiction and mental disorders inspired TRUE. 

Ben now has more than a decade of service in the addiction treatment field. We take pride in finding the TRUE roots of you. We put this into action through your customized treatment plan. 

Our Tennessee Mental Health Treatment for Panic Disorders

TRUE Addiction and Behavioral Health is proud of our outpatient treatment options. We celebrate our clients and offer real solutions to navigate panic disorder easier. Our therapy reclaims control of panic disorders through evidence-based and holistic natural interventions. 

We reduce your symptoms of a panic attack. This also lessens unexpected panic attacks. The physical symptoms of panic disorders start to diminish as well. 

Anxiety Attack vs. Panic Attack

Both share symptoms. There is one key difference. Anxiety attacks usually build over time. An initial trigger sets it off, and it piles up – until bam. Panic attacks aren’t predictable. They both can impair your enjoyment of life. Unexpected panic attacks create continuous rumination.

Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)

Our outpatient program for treating panic disorder is a step down from an inpatient. PHP is our 30 hours a week program. You come to our center in the daytime and go home at night. You ease into applying what you learn into your daily life.

This program instills the skills to prevent panic disorder and control your life. It dives deeper into mental health for lasting recovery. You develop and practice new behaviors to tame panic attacks and the disorder. 

Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

Intensive outpatient is a lot like PHP but with fewer restrictions. You continue to strengthen your emotional regulation for panic attacks. You also use coping techniques when you experience panic attacks. You attend this program three to five days a week for 15 hours. 

Our robust selection of treatment modalities caters to your individual needs. Treating panic disorder takes patience and empathy, which defines our clinicians. You also build connections with others in support group settings. You return home at night to ease into regular life.

Community Living Homes

Sober living isn’t exclusive to addiction recovery. Early recovery is a life change. A sober home means a peaceful environment, free of distractions. The support group around you are on the same page.

Our outpatient programs aren’t the end. Aftercare for relapse prevention is vital. You’ve lived with this disorder so long that old habits are hard to break. This includes peer support groups, recovery coaching, and ongoing counseling. We will treat you wholly and to your anxiety type. 

Our Approach to Panic Disorder Treatment 

Our customized treatment options focus on empowering you to reclaim your life. 

Benjamin Dobbs spent many years evaluating services, treatment modalities,  resources, and programs. He learned a more in-depth way to treat mental conditions for people stuck. We use customizable, evidence-based therapy and natural wellness approaches. 

We work through treatment to minimize our client’s symptoms. This helps reduce the frequency of panic attacks. The physical symptoms of panic disorders, like those chest pains, also decrease. 

Co-Occurring Disorders

Mental illness and substance use disorders (SUD) often come as a pair. We address any other co-occurring mental health or substance use disorders. This is part of our “whole you” approach.

Drugs or alcohol never help, but using them to cope with trauma-induced panic attacks is easy to fall into. It also makes the symptoms more intense in the future. 

Successful panic disorder recovery involves treating these conditions at once. This breaks the cycle of unwanted behaviors, thoughts, and actions.

Medication-Assisted Therapy (MAT)

We use medication to support recovery in our programs. Your team and you decide what aligns with your treatment plan. Psychotherapy with medication is an effective treatment for many. This treatment option can reduce the symptoms of a panic attack or worry about one. It can also lessen the symptoms of anxiety associated with panic disorders. 

Effective medications for MAT include:

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved. These antidepressants include fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), and paroxetine (Paxil).

SSRIs regulate the mood-stabilizing brain chemical serotonin. This reduces the feelings of anxiety and prevents panic attacks.

Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are another type of antidepressant. Venlafaxine (Effexor XR) is FDA-approved for the treatment of panic disorder.

Beta-blockers lower your body’s fight-or-flight reactions. They’re used to manage heart conditions and heart rate. But they’re also prescribed off-label for anxiety disorders.

Beta-blockers impede the effects of adrenaline. This treats the symptoms of panic attacks like a racing heart, sweating, and shaking. 

Common beta-blockers include bisoprolol (Zebeta), atenolol (Tenormin), acebutolol (Sectral). Studies have shown their effects resemble benzodiazepines but with less risk of side effects.

Benzodiazepines like clonazepam (Klonopin) or alprazolam (Xanax) are not first-line medications for anxiety disorder. Benzos can have many side effects and can cause substance use issues. They are usually prescribed short-term.

Medications like clonazepam are used to treat seizures and is also sometimes prescribed off-label for panic disorder.

It can cause various side effects, including lethargy (lack of energy), abnormal eye movement (nystagmus), confusion, and allergic reactions. Medications do carry a  risk of side effects. Always talk to your healthcare provider about any changes you experience.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a well-known style of talk therapy (psychotherapy). CBT applies techniques beneficial for anxiety-related disorders. This therapy teaches you to pinpoint and cope with panic attack symptoms. Depending on the individual, CBT works well paired with medication. It also is effective on its own.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a variation of CBT. It treated borderline personality disorder and suicidal ideation at first. Since then, various personality disorders have proven successful with DBT treatment.

The main goal of DBT is to cultivate the fulfilling life you deserve.  It guides taking a more optimistic outlook on life. This therapy specializes in changing thoughts and actions to align with personal goals.

Holistic Therapy

Our mental health programs are more than medications or therapy. We unite a wide range of natural, non-drug treatments. Each can relieve symptoms caused by panic disorders. Many incorporate relaxation techniques like deep breathing in meditation.

We offer these modalities, with more in the works:

• Music Therapy
• Art Therapy
• Yoga
• CEMA (cognitive, emotional, memory assessments)
• Acupuncture 
• Movement Therapy
• Animal Therapy
• Onsite physical fitness equipment with personal trainers on staff

Motivational Interviewing (MI)

Motivational interviewing is a low-stress approach to improving your mindset. Lowering worry and the power of panic attacks is a goal in MI. This talk therapy explores values, goals, and concerns. It reinforces self-determination to begin making more positive changes. It provides insights into the sudden and intense symptoms of the disorder.

Family Therapy

Family therapy involves family members joining in the therapy process. It’s like group therapy with your loved ones. This therapy identifies the underlying issues related to panic attacks. You work together with your family members. You educate and develop strategies to manage panic disorder in your daily life.

Get the Panic Disorder Treatment You Deserve in Our Tennessee Mental Health Treatment Center

Living with on-edge in a constant state of stress isn’t a way to live. TRUE teaches you how to build healthier relationships and become self-reliant.

Take the first step to calm the chaos that panic induces. A proven program you can call your own is life-changing.  Our panic disorder treatment center in Nashville, TN, will improve your quality of life. Give us a call or email us to start the conversation.