Panic Disorders in Teens
Fear is an emotion that we’ve all experienced. Perhaps you heard a creepy sound in the dark while taking out the trash. Or you’re waiting for a jumpscare while watching a scary movie with your friends. But repeatedly experiencing fear to the point where it causes physical and mental distress could be a sign of panic disorder.
Panic disorder can cause you to have a sudden physical reaction to overwhelming fear. It can be scary and unsettling when you’re experiencing symptoms that you can’t control. At Lightfully Teen, we can help treat panic disorder to reduce its impact on your quality of life.
What is Panic Disorder?
Panic disorder is a common anxiety disorder that’s characterized by recurring panic attacks, usually without a clear trigger. Panic attacks refer to episodes of intense fear that cause a variety of physical symptoms, including:
- Shortness of breath
- Chest discomfort or pain
- Increased heart rate
- Dizziness
- Shaking
While panic attacks mostly manifest in physical ways, they can take a toll on your mental health by interfering with your day-to-day routine. They can cause a wave of unexpected fear to wash over you, causing you to feel an impending sense of doom to a nonexistent threat. If you experience them frequently, it could cause you to avoid certain situations or places that you believe may be a trigger for an attack.
About 2.3% of adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18 in the U.S. have been affected by panic disorder. They are more prevalent in females than males, affecting 2.6% of adolescent females and 2.0% of adolescent males.
Panic disorder is often associated with other mental health disorders, including anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
How Can Lightfully Teen Help Panic Disorder?
The good news is that, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, panic disorder is the most treatable type of anxiety disorder. Proper treatment, especially psychotherapy, will help you adjust your mindset and see how the symptoms are non-life-threatening. Learning about the disorder and recognizing the signs can make a difference in how long you have to live in fear of unexpected panic attacks.
That’s why Lightfully Teen is an effective treatment option for teens with panic disorder. We use process-based therapy to help you examine your mental health from every angle to determine the factors that contribute to your disorder.
Process-based therapy allows us to treat your entire well-being, not just your panic disorder diagnosis. It consists of using integrated interventions to help with the core processes that impact your mental health:
- Difficulty with emotions
- Difficulty with thoughts
- Difficulty with behaviors
- Difficulty with relationships
Lightfully Teen Can Help Treat Your Panic Disorder
Process-based therapy can help your panic disorder in our three levels of care: Residential Treatment, Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), and Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), also called our Day Treatment Program.
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We’re here when you’re ready. Send us a message using the link below or give us a call at 916.269.5371. Let us help shine a light on your path.
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