Panic Attacks or Heart Problems? Understanding Panic Disorder
Recently, an older gentleman named Mr. Xun became deeply worried about his health. He often felt his heart racing, chest tightening, and breath growing short — sensations so severe that he thought he might be having a heart attack. Yet after visiting several hospitals and undergoing many tests, doctors found nothing wrong with his heart.
Image from TV show “女心理师”
Confused and anxious, he turned to a friend with a medical background, who suggested he speak to a psychologist. That visit finally revealed the answer: Mr. Xun wasn’t suffering from a heart condition — he was experiencing panic disorder.
What Is a Panic Attack?
A panic attack is a sudden surge of intense fear or discomfort accompanied by strong physical sensations such as:
Chest tightness or pain
Heart palpitations or rapid heartbeat
Shortness of breath
Sweating, trembling, or dizziness
Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
A feeling of losing control or impending death
These symptoms can peak within minutes and typically last between 5 and 30 minutes. Although panic attacks do not cause permanent physical harm, they feel terrifyingly real — many people mistake them for a heart attack or other medical emergencies.
Over time, chronic anxiety and repeated panic attacks can impact the body’s stress system, leading to elevated blood pressure, sleep problems, and increased cortisol levels — reinforcing a cycle of fear and exhaustion.
From Panic Attacks to Panic Disorder
Occasional panic attacks can happen to anyone, especially under stress. But when they become recurrent and lead to persistent anxiety or major behavioral changes, they may indicate Panic Disorder (PD).
According to the DSM-5, panic disorder involves:
Repeated panic attacks, and
Ongoing fear about having another attack or its consequences (e.g., “What if I faint in public?”), or
Significant behavioral changes to avoid triggering situations.
In Mr. Xun’s case, his panic attacks began after ongoing family conflict and emotional distress. As the fear grew, he withdrew from his company, avoided family contact, and spent his days visiting hospitals, desperate for a medical explanation — ironically worsening his anxiety.
How Panic Disorder Is Treated
Fortunately, panic disorder is highly treatable. The most effective approach often includes a combination of psychoeducation, relaxation training, and exposure therapy.
1. Psychoeducation
Learning what panic disorder is — and that it’s not life-threatening — is often the first relief. Many patients feel immediate comfort upon realizing that others experience the same thing and that their symptoms are real but manageable.
2. Relaxation Techniques
Exercises such as progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, mindfulness meditation, and grounding techniques can help calm the body’s stress response and reduce the intensity of future panic attacks.
3. Exposure Therapy
Exposure therapy, often called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), is the gold-standard treatment for anxiety disorders, OCD, and panic disorder. Through gradual exposure to feared sensations or situations, individuals learn that panic symptoms are uncomfortable but not dangerous — and that they can tolerate them.
Research shows that 60–90% of patients experience significant improvement after ERP, often within 8–20 therapy sessions. However, ERP requires skill and careful pacing, so it should be conducted by a trained professional.
Getting Help
At Mind & Body Garden Psychology, our clinician Wei Liao, LMFT, specializes in treating anxiety disorders and panic symptoms using Exposure Therapy, Mindfulness, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Wei has received specialized training from the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) in Exposure and Response Prevention.
Although our clinic is out-of-network for most insurance plans, Wei currently offers reduced-fee sessions for individuals seeking help for anxiety, panic attacks, or OCD-related symptoms.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve ever felt your heart racing or your breath tightening and feared the worst, you’re not alone — and it’s not “all in your head.” Panic attacks are real, powerful, and treatable. Through education, gradual exposure, and professional support, recovery is entirely possible.
If you suspect that you may have obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviors, or if you need to seek help to treat OCD and anxiety, please feel free to check out our clinicians at Mind & Body Garden Psychology. Our therapist, Weiyi Liao, has extensive experience in mindfulness-based approaches and anxiety treatment, and has received specialized training from the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy. He can see clients in California, New York, Virginia, and Delaware. Although our clinic is out-of-network for most commercial insurance plans, Wei currently offers reduced-fee sessions to make treatment more accessible for those who are in need.
Psychological services available in multiple languages (English, Mandarin, Cantonese, French, Turkish, etc.): 650-434-2563; admin@mindbodygarden.com. HSA/FSA accepted. Send us a text message on the phone, or call us and leave a voicemail.
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