Treating Panic Attacks With Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Prescription meds are great for alleviating the pain, in many situations. They are a quick fix for many of our problems. But when we are dealing with panic attacks, drugs are not the best solution. Drugs are only a short term treatment.
Cognitive behavioural therapy is highly recommended for treating panic attacks and panic disorders.

You should know that without drugs, almost 65% of people have achieved great results and they managed to get rid of panic disorders and agoraphobia. CBT - cognitive behavioral therapy - combines cognitive restructuring techniques with some behavioral modification techniques. This means it is trying to understand the source of the panic attacks and then work from the bottom. The main tools that CBT uses for Panic Disorder Cognitive Therapy is the following:

- teach the victims to recognize and then monitor the symptoms when the attack happens
- educate the patients about how the process works
- train the patient in relaxation and breathing techniques
- restructure the mental response of the patients
- expose the patients to different controlled conditions associated with the panic attacks

CBT needs an active involvement by a trained counsellor or therapist. It is not as easy as taking a pill but has more efficient results. It can take 12 to 15 weeks till the first results start to appear. But these results are on long term. If you require Panic Disorder Cognitive Therapy, please contact Dr S Pienaar (CBT Therapist) to arrange an appointment by calling 083 631 6499 between 8:30-9:00 or 18:00-18:30, alternatively please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.