Panic attacks

Panic attack is not considered a diagnosis itself since it can be present in different diagnostic categories, e.g.:

• Simple or complex phobias
• OCD
• Post-traumatic syndromes
• Medical conditions/drugs
• Panic disorder

Panic disorder is among those due to anxiety, but it deserves special attention since, although all mental and emotional suffering are physically manifested, in panic disorder these manifestations come to occur without apparent relation to psychological problems. Indeed, often the patient goes to the emergency room in order to treat the acute physical symptomatology and not to a psychologist in order to seek for help for their fear, since fear is a secondary emotion to the very acute attack: it is not the fear of dying or of becoming crazy, but the actual experience of dying or of becoming crazy. 

Panic disorder, in addition, usually translates into a significant loss of autonomy for people who until then had maintained great independence in their lives.

Therapeutic support, in addition to managing the anxiety associated with the situation, approaches precisely the circumstances that may have gone unnoticed by the person and have become the precursors of an untenable situation.

During therapy our points of attention will include understanding and validating physical symptomatology and associated fear; grounding and creating a common ground (attunement and language); paying attention to themes of loneliness and belonging (inside and outside the therapy room) and taking care of processes of separation.

If your struggles might have arisen or been influenced by your personal journey as an expat, considering the losses we face when leaving our home and cultural identity behind, we invite you to explore our migratory grief treatment. You will find a dedicated calendar to plan a first informative contact by following the link on this page.

Psychology within Reach
Vuurvlindersingel, 403
3544 DB Utrecht
Netherlands

Phone +31 30 636 8981
Mon. – Fri.– 9 am – 6:30 pm