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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Can therapy or medication decrease the occurance of panic attacks?

    Related Topic
    Panic Attacks
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  • Joe Gubbay

    Clinical Psychologist, Counsellor, Psychologist, Psychotherapist

    I have worked in public hospitals as well as private practice over the past 25 years. As a clinical psychologist I treat depression, social anxiety, … View Profile

    Psychological therapy, particularly an approach called cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), is highly effective in treating panic attacks. Symptoms of panic can be part of a few different conditions, including Panic Disorder (where fear is about the panic itself), social anxiety, and specific phobias.  In the vast majority of cases, panic can be eliminated.  

    Medication generally isn't the recommended treatment for panic; it will decrease panic initially, but it won't cure it, and people develop tolerance to the medications, which means you have to keep increasing the dose. And one of the side effects of stopping the medication is anxiety, so it becomes a trap.  

    I'd recommend having a chat to your doctor (GP) and asking for a referral to a psychologist for CBT.  Most or all of the cost should be covered by Medicare.  And it works, quickly!

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