Panic Attack Therapy and Questions to Expect from Your Doctor

Maybe  you have tried, unsuccessfully to stop your panics by experimenting with various treatments, tip or tricks.  Maybe, then, it is time to see a professional, and if you plan to do so, arm yourself with some knowledge about what you can expect during those first few visits.

This is a time when your journal, if you’ve kept one, can be very helpful in answering questions on forms that pertain specifically to your attacks.  This process is going to start off with you answering a great many questions, so be prepared to provide information as accurately as you can.  The following is a list of some of the information you can expect to have to provide.

While it may be difficult to remember exact dates, you will be expected to provide a history of illnesses and surgeries you have had before.

Provide information on any traumatic events that you have lived through, and that continue to make you uneasy when you think about them.  Traumatic events can include divorce or a breakup, the passing of a loved one, living through a natural disaster, or even going away to college or your children moving out on their own.

You will be asked to provide a list of prescription drugs and their dosages that you are currently on, or that you have been on over the last six months or so.
Your doctor will ask you whether anyone else in your family has, or had in the past, anxiety or panic attacks.

Because alcohol is a known trigger for attacks, you should be prepared to answer honestly any questions your doctor asks about how much you consume on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.

As with the questions related to alcohol consumption, be prepared to provide honest answers regarding whether you use recreational drugs, because, again, some of these may actually trigger attacks.

You will need to provide information on your daily caffeine intake from coffee, tea or soda, as well as to describe issues you  may experience when you don’t get your caffeine, such as sluggishness or headaches.

Your journal can also help you answer questions about how often you feel anxious or stressed, and how you know that you are about to have an attack.

Be prepared to discuss your individual triggers with your doctor.  These can be things such as having heart palpitations when you must drive, or experiencing increased anxiety when riding in an elevator.

Just remember to be as thorough and honest as possible, and if you remember things later that you did not share, write them down so that you can let your doctor know during your next visit.

Want more information?  Visit our Panic Relief site and find plenty of informative content ranging from general information about anxiety help to very specific “how to” info on panic attacks.