Introduction & Theoretical Background
A panic attack is a sudden surge of intense fear which is accompanied by strong body feelings (such as your heart beating rapidly, or finding it hard to breathe) and catastrophic thoughts (such as thinking that you will lose control or die). Panic attacks feel terrifying, but they are not dangerous. Some people might just have a single panic attack and not experience any more. People who worry about their panic, and who take steps to try to prevent the possibility of having more, are said to suffer from panic disorder.
Research studies have shown that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is probably the most effective treatment for panic disorder (Pompoli et al, 2016). CBT therapists work a bit like firefighters: while the fire is burning they aren’t very interested in what caused it, but are more focused on what is keeping it going. This is because if they can work out