Panic Disorder Treatment at Feel August
Panic disorder affects approximately 2-3% of U.S. adults each year. The first panic attack is often mistaken for a heart attack — and the fear of the next attack is what turns isolated panic into a disorder. At Feel August, panic disorder care begins by ruling out medical causes, then continues with a coordinated medication and behavioral approach.
Understanding Panic Disorder
A panic attack is a sudden surge of intense fear or discomfort accompanied by physical symptoms — racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, chest tightness, derealization. Panic attacks themselves are not dangerous, but the fear of the next attack is what drives the disorder. Many people develop avoidance — of public spaces, driving, exercise, or anything that might trigger an attack — which gradually shrinks the world.
Panic disorder is highly treatable. Effective care addresses both the underlying physiology (with medication) and the conditioned avoidance (with exposure-based therapy). The combination produces the most durable results.
Recognizing the Signs
- Sudden, unexpected episodes of intense fear or discomfort
- Physical symptoms: racing heart, shortness of breath, sweating, trembling, chest pain
- Sense of unreality or detachment during attacks
- Persistent worry about having another attack
- Avoidance of places or situations where attacks have occurred
- Repeated emergency-department visits with negative cardiac workups
- Symptoms persisting for more than a month
Our Approach
Treatment at Feel August
Panic disorder treatment at Feel August begins with confirming the diagnosis and ensuring that medical causes (cardiac, thyroid, vestibular) have been appropriately ruled out. Your provider will ask about the texture of your attacks, what triggers them, what you have tried, and what you avoid.
Medication options include SSRIs and SNRIs as first-line treatment, with short-term, time-limited use of benzodiazepines reserved for specific clinical situations. We coordinate with cognitive behavioral therapists trained in panic-focused exposure work, since the combination of medication and behavioral therapy outperforms either alone. We track PDSS or panic-attack frequency at each visit.
What to Expect at Your First Appointment
Your first appointment is 60 minutes. Come prepared to describe your attacks in detail — when they started, what they feel like, what you were doing when they began, what (if anything) you have tried that helps. If you have had a recent cardiac or medical workup, bring those results.
After the evaluation, your provider will share their assessment, discuss medication and behavioral options, and develop a plan with you. You will leave with clear next steps and a follow-up appointment, typically within two to four weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are panic attacks dangerous?
- Panic attacks themselves are not physically dangerous — they are the body's threat-response system firing inappropriately. They feel medical because the same physiology is involved. That said, new chest pain or cardiovascular symptoms always deserve a medical workup; we coordinate with primary care or cardiology when the picture is unclear.
- What medications are used for panic disorder?
- First-line medications are SSRIs (sertraline, paroxetine, escitalopram) and SNRIs (venlafaxine). Benzodiazepines may be used short-term in specific clinical situations but are not typically a long-term solution due to tolerance and rebound risk. Your provider will discuss the tradeoffs of any medication recommended.
- Do I also need therapy?
- Cognitive behavioral therapy with exposure (interoceptive and situational) is highly effective for panic disorder and pairs with medication for the most durable results. We can refer you to CBT-trained therapists in California if you do not already have one.
- How quickly will I feel better?
- Most patients begin to notice fewer or less intense attacks within 4-6 weeks of starting medication, with full effect at 6-12 weeks. Behavioral therapy works in parallel and can produce noticeable shifts within several weeks of consistent practice.
- Can online psychiatry treat panic disorder?
- Yes. Panic disorder evaluation and medication management is well-suited to telehealth. Feel August provides care via secure video throughout California.
When you\u2019re ready.
Schedule your first conversation
No payment until your first session. No surprise bills.
Or call us directly at (213) 715-2100.