What we help with

Online therapy for panic attacks

A panic attack is a sudden surge of intense fear that peaks within minutes. Your heart pounds, breathing feels wrong, you may feel dizzy, unreal, or certain that something terrible is happening. It is the body’s alarm going off at full volume with no fire.

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Signs you might recognise

Panic attacks are not dangerous, although they feel as if they are. What keeps them going is usually the fear of the next one, and the things you start avoiding because of it. That cycle responds very well to therapy.

Recognising yourself in a few of these does not mean something is wrong with you. It means it may be worth a conversation.

Pounding heart, chest tightness or shortness of breath
Dizziness, tingling, shaking or sweating
Feeling detached from yourself or your surroundings
Fear of fainting, losing control or dying
Worrying about when the next attack will come
Avoiding places where an attack happened or escape would be hard

How therapy helps

Your therapist will suggest an approach based on what you want to change. Common ones include:

1
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
Understand the panic cycle and how frightening interpretations of body sensations fuel it.
How it works
2
Interoceptive exposure
Deliberately and safely bring on sensations such as a fast heartbeat, so they stop feeling like danger.
3
Gradual return
Step by step, go back to the places and activities panic has taken from you.

Three things you can try today

Remind yourself: this is panic, it peaks and passes, usually within ten minutes.
Breathe out slowly and for longer than you breathe in. Do not gulp air.
Stay where you are if it is safe. Leaving teaches the brain that the place was the problem.

Try a two-minute breathing space

Start with a free intro call

Meet a therapist for 15 minutes at no cost. Sessions after that are €65, or €59 on the monthly plan. No minimum term.

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Common questions

Can a panic attack harm me?

Panic attacks feel dangerous but are not harmful in themselves. They are the body’s normal alarm response firing at the wrong time. If you have chest pain or symptoms you have not had checked before, see a doctor first to rule out a physical cause.

How is panic treated in therapy?

Mostly with CBT. You learn how the panic cycle works, practise bringing on the feared sensations safely, and gradually return to situations you have been avoiding. Many people improve within a few months.

We also help with

This page offers general information and is not medical advice or a diagnosis. If you are in crisis, please use the resources on our Get help now page.

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