Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder Therapy
Honolulu, Hilo and Hawaii Telehealth
The first time, most people think they are dying.
Chest tight. Heart pounding. Cannot get a full breath no matter how hard you try. Hands tingling. A wave of dread that comes out of nowhere and peaks in minutes. Some people end up in the emergency room. The tests come back normal. And that is almost worse, because now you have terrifying physical symptoms and nobody can tell you what they are.
This is what they are. A panic attack is your body's alarm system going off without a fire. Every symptom, the racing heart, the shortness of breath, the dizziness, the sense of unreality, is your body doing exactly what it would do if you were in real danger. It is frightening. It is not dangerous. And you are not going crazy.
Why it keeps coming back
After the first one, a second fear starts: the fear of having another. You start avoiding the place it happened. Then the drive to that place. Then anything that makes your heart beat faster, because that feeling now means danger. That is how a bad afternoon becomes panic disorder, and that second fear is what we treat.
A quick word on breathing, because the advice you have probably been given is backwards. "Take a deep breath" makes panic worse. Slow, long breaths out are what help. We will show you why.
What we do
We help you understand what your body is doing, so the sensations lose their power to scare you. Then we work on the avoidance, gently and at your pace, so the world stops shrinking. Our counselors use approaches including cognitive behavioral therapy, which is well supported for panic. Most people are surprised by how much the attacks lose their grip once they understand them.
This page is for you if
You have had at least one episode that felt like a heart attack, and the doctor found nothing
You are afraid of it happening again, and you are arranging your life around that fear
You wake in the night or early morning with your heart racing and a sense of dread
You have started avoiding driving, crowds, the store, or being far from home
You feel like you cannot get a full breath even when you are calm
How to reach us
Call (808) 640-6252 or send a message through our contact form. We see clients at our Hilo office, our Honolulu office, and by telehealth anywhere in Hawaiʻi.
We are in network with HMSA, HMSA QUEST, HMAA, UHA, and Blue Cross Blue Shield.
If you are in crisis
If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988. If your phone does not have an 808 number, call Hawaiʻi CARES at (808) 832-3100 or (800) 753-6879. In an emergency, call 911.
