Anxiety Therapy in Charlottesville

Am I Having A Panic Attack?

Panic attacks are common in students, people with anxiety disorders, and those going through periods of intense or chronic stress. Learn how to identify a panic attack and seek help from a Charlottesville anxiety therapist in this article.

Identifying Panic Attack Symptoms

Does this sound familiar? Your heart is racing, and you feel shaky and out of control. You’re not sure what’s wrong, exactly, but you feel as if something very, very bad is about to happen. Maybe your breathing becomes fast, and you start to feel lightheaded. Everything in you is screaming that something is not right and that you are in danger.
Sounds like you might be having a panic attack. Panic attacks are sudden, intense bouts of fear and anxiety. They usually have strong physical symptoms as well. If you struggle with panic attacks, an anxiety therapist in Charlottesville can help.

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Signs You’re Having a Panic Attack

Being able to identify when you’re having a panic attack can help you stop them from worsening and manage triggers so they happen less frequently in the future.

Intense fear or sense of impending doom
Rapid heartbeat or heart palpitations
Shortness of breath
Chest pain or tightness
Dizziness, lightheadedness
Sweating or chills
Trembling or shaking
Nausea or stomach discomfort
Tingling or numbness
Derealization or depersonalization
Fear of losing control, “going crazy,” or dying

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Taylor Hiers

15+ Years Exp

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Chasity Bilzing

3+ Years Exp

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Adeela Aslam

5+ Years Exp

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Meera Doshi

4+ Years Exp

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Sabrina Jackson

4+ Years Exp

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Ariel Meaney

4+ Years Exp

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Why Are You Having a Panic Attack?

Panic attacks can come on without warning. Usually, though, something triggered them. Learning what your panic attack triggers are will help you manage them in the future. Some common panic attack triggers include:

Sense Memory

Panic attacks are a common symptom of PTSD and trauma. When something reminds you of a trauma, it can trigger a panic attack. For example, being at the scene of the trauma and talking to the perpetrator are common panic attack triggers. Seemingly small things like smells and noises that were also present during the trauma can also trigger a panic attack.

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Feeling Unable to Escape

Feeling like you can’t escape is one of the most common triggers of a panic attack. What situations make you feel trapped is personal. For many people, crowds, public transportation, or unfamiliar spaces make them feel trapped. For other people, it’s sitting in class and feeling like you can’t interrupt the professor, or being in a car driving down the highway. Any situation that makes you feel as if you can’t escape can trigger a panic attack.

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Social Rejection Hurts

Humans are social creatures, and that means that social rejection feels like physical pain. Research has shown that our physical pain receptors in the brain actually light up when we experience real or perceived social rejection. Feeling judged, humiliated, or rejected by your peers can be a trigger for panic attacks. Collegiate environments, like the University of Virginia, and stressful work environments are particularly triggering for this.

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Caffeine, Nicotine, and More

Substances like coffee and nicotine can trigger panic attacks, especially when combined with a different trigger talked about here. Marijuana and other drugs can also cause a panic attack.

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How to Stop Panic Attacks

Therapy is effective at treating panic attacks. At Lifebulb, our Charlottesville anxiety therapists only use evidence-based and proven therapy modalities, such as:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps treat panic attacks by identifying and changing the negative thought patterns that trigger and intensify them. It teaches you to recognize catastrophic thinking (like assuming you’re in danger) and replace it with more realistic, balanced thoughts. CBT also includes practical coping skills—such as breathing techniques and gradual exposure to triggers—to reduce the frequency and intensity of panic attacks over time.

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Dialectical Behavioral Therapy focuses on building emotional regulation and distress tolerance skills, which are especially helpful during a panic attack. DBT teaches mindfulness techniques to help you stay present instead of getting overwhelmed by fear, as well as grounding strategies to calm your body. By improving your ability to tolerate intense emotions without reacting impulsively, DBT can reduce the fear of panic attacks and make them feel more manageable.

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Exposure Therapy works by gradually and safely exposing you to the sensations or situations that trigger panic attacks, helping your brain learn that they are not actually dangerous. Over time, repeated exposure reduces fear and avoidance behaviors, which are key drivers of panic disorder. This approach helps desensitize you to panic symptoms so they feel less threatening, ultimately decreasing how often panic attacks occur.

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