Because the occurrence of panic attacks are not always predictable, an individual who is prone to them may become preoccupied with worry that they will return without warning. This is called as anticipatory anxiety. At times panic disorder may be present with agoraphobia, which means that the patient also has fear of being in open spaces and situations from which escape or getting help would be difficult. Treatment Treatment for panic disorder can consist of taking a medication to adjust the chemical imbalance in your body - just as you might take medicine to correct a thyroid imbalance. Or treatment might involve working with a psychotherapist to gain more control over your anxieties.
Research shows that both kinds of treatment can be very effective.
For many patients, the combination of medication and psychotherapy appears to be more effective than either treatment alone. These patterns of thinking are deeply ingrained, and it will take practice to notice them and then to change them. A therapist can teach you breathing exercises that calm you and that can prevent the overbreathing, or hyperventilation, that often occurs during a panic attack. A therapist can help you gradually become less sensitive to the frightening bodily sensations and feelings of terror. CBT generally requires at least 8 to 12 weeks.