For People Who Know Something Is Wrong But Can't Explain What
It comes without warning. Your heart races. Your chest tightens. You can't breathe properly. You're convinced something terrible is happening — and then it passes. And the waiting for the next one begins.
Panic attacks are one of the most frightening experiences a person can have. They are also one of the most treatable. We work with the neuroscience of panic — not just the symptoms — so the attacks become less frequent, less intense, and eventually stop running your life.
Most people who experience panic attacks believe something is physically wrong with them. Many have gone to emergency rooms, had ECGs done, been told everything is normal — and still the attacks continue.
Here is what is actually happening: your brain's threat-detection system (the amygdala) has fired a false alarm. It has triggered a full-scale fight-or-flight response in the absence of any real danger. Your body is doing exactly what it's designed to do — flood with adrenaline, increase heart rate, restrict breathing, heighten alertness. The problem is that nothing dangerous is actually happening.
The sensations are completely real. The danger is not.
Panic attacks typically peak within 10 minutes and subside within 20–30 minutes.
They are not dangerous — no one has ever died from a panic attack, despite how it feels.
Panic disorder affects 2–3% of the population and is highly treatable with the right psychological approach.
The first panic attack often feels completely random. But panic disorder almost always follows a predictable cycle — and understanding that cycle is the first step to breaking it.
A physical sensation — racing heart, dizziness, shortness of breath — that feels threatening.
"Something is wrong. I'm going to die / faint / lose control."
The body ramps up, making the physical sensations more intense — confirming the fear.
Symptoms escalate to peak intensity — chest tightness, breathlessness, overwhelming dread.
You start avoiding situations, places, or activities where attacks have happened.
You constantly monitor your body for early warning signs — and the monitoring itself creates the sensations you're watching for.
This cycle can take over a person's life. People stop driving, travelling, exercising, attending social events, going to work — all to avoid the possibility of another attack. Panic disorder is not about the attacks themselves. It is about everything you stop doing because of them.
| Pattern | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Classic panic disorder | Recurrent unexpected panic attacks with persistent worry about future attacks |
| Nocturnal panic | Waking from sleep in full panic with no obvious trigger |
| Situational panic | Attacks triggered by specific situations — driving, flying, crowded spaces, medical settings |
| Panic with agoraphobia | Avoidance of situations where escape might be difficult if a panic attack occurs |
| Health anxiety + panic | Constant monitoring of body symptoms, medical reassurance-seeking, ER visits |
| Panic after trauma | Attacks triggered by trauma reminders, often mistaken for purely physical symptoms |
| Post-COVID panic | New onset of panic attacks following COVID-19, driven by heightened body awareness |
Panic disorder has one of the highest treatment success rates of any anxiety condition. With the right approach, most people see significant improvement within 8–12 sessions.
The gold standard for panic disorder. We work directly with the catastrophic thoughts that fuel the panic cycle — identifying thought patterns, testing them against evidence, and gradually reducing the fear response.
The most powerful technique for panic disorder. We deliberately induce the physical sensations of panic in a controlled setting — so your brain learns that these sensations are not dangerous. Over time, they lose their power.
Panic attacks are deeply physical. We work directly with the body — breath regulation, nervous system regulation, and somatic awareness — to interrupt the panic cycle at the physiological level.
When panic attacks are rooted in past trauma or overwhelming experiences, EMDR can help process the underlying material that the nervous system is responding to.
Helping you stop fighting panic and start living fully despite it — reducing the avoidance and restriction that panic disorder creates over time.
Not sure which approach suits you? A free discovery call takes 15 minutes and helps us understand what you need.
Book Free Discovery CallWe map your personal panic cycle — your specific triggers, physical sensations, thoughts, and avoidance patterns. We explain exactly what is happening in your nervous system and why.
Psychoeducation about the anxiety response. Breathing and grounding techniques. Beginning to challenge catastrophic interpretations.
Gradually and systematically confronting the situations and sensations you have been avoiding. This is the most important and most effective part of treatment — done carefully, at your pace, with full explanation at every step.
Building confidence in your ability to handle panic. Understanding what to do if symptoms return. Reducing the fear of fear itself.
Sessions are 60 minutes, weekly or fortnightly. Online via secure video call or in-person at Sector 70, Gurgaon.
Not sure if what you're experiencing is panic?
Many people don't recognise their own panic attacks — they present as physical symptoms, dissociation, or sudden overwhelming dread rather than classic "panic." A free discovery call can help clarify what's happening and what kind of support would help.
Per 60-minute session · Varies by therapist experience
Panic often overlaps with other concerns. These pages may also be helpful.