Take our Generalized Anxiety Disorder Test

Find a therapist to overcome anxiety

Learning about how and why panic happens can help us to gain control over it.

Believing in our own safety is breakthrough lesson in coping with panic.

Research shows that certain therapeutic interventions can help reduce symptoms of anxiety.

I am 20 years removed from my first panic attack. Panic still arises at times, though it is now much more manageable, and I understand it far better than I did two decades ago. As I reflect on my journey with panic, I can identify five specific concepts that I wish I had learned back when my panic attacks were debilitating and frightening. As a therapist who now treats panic, I consider these five vital points in learning to cope with panic attacks.

5. Panic Attacks Are Not Uncommon

When you are struggling with panic, it can feel extremely isolating, particularly as you notice others around you who are seemingly going through their lives without the constant fear and uncertainty that panic brings. But the reality is that panic attacks are far more common than you might think. According to the Cleveland Clinic, up to 11 percent of Americans experience a panic attack each year, and up to 35 percent will experience a panic attack at least once in their life. My clinical work certainly supports the idea that panic is a common experience: I have seen countless clients who present to therapy reporting struggling with panic. Commonality and shared........

© Psychology Today