It hits out of nowhere: in the car, in the grocery line, or in bed. Your heart pounds, your chest tightens, you can’t get a full breath, and you’re sure something is terribly wrong. Maybe you’ve been to the ER and heard that your heart is fine. Now you scan your body all day, waiting for the next one.
Common experiences
- Sudden surges of intense fear that peak within minutes
- A racing or pounding heart, chest tightness, or shortness of breath
- Dizziness, shaking, sweating, or tingling
- Feeling detached, or like things aren’t real
- Fear of losing control, passing out, or dying
- Constant worry about the next attack
- Avoiding driving, stores, crowds, or places where attacks happened
- Trips to urgent care or the ER that didn’t find a cause
A panic attack is a false alarm, not a sign of weakness.
During a panic attack, your body’s fight-or-flight response fires at full strength even though there’s no danger in front of you. The physical symptoms are real and frightening. Stress, genetics, caffeine, sleep loss, and some health conditions can make attacks more likely, and fear of the next one keeps the cycle going.
You can’t calm a panic attack away by willpower, and needing help says nothing about your strength. Panic is common, and there are effective ways to treat it.
Your first visit: breaking down the panic cycle
Your first appointment is a 60-minute psychiatric evaluation. We’ll make sure medical causes have been considered, then focus on the pattern behind your attacks.
What the evaluation covers
- What your attacks feel like, how often they happen, and what you’ve started avoiding
- Medical history, including heart, thyroid, and breathing conditions, and any recent workups
- Medications and substances that can contribute, including caffeine
- Sleep, daily functioning, and how panic affects work and home
- Your personal context, stressors, and goals
Your treatment plan may include
- Medication management when clinically appropriate, focused on preventing attacks over time
- Education about the panic cycle and how to ride out an attack
- Referral to cognitive behavioral therapy, a well-studied approach for panic
- Regular follow-ups to track progress and adjust
Medication is one tool, used with a clear purpose. The goal is to help you feel safe in your body and return to the places you’ve been avoiding, not to change who you are.
How care works at Mode Psychiatry
Good psychiatric care takes time, teamwork, and honest explanations. Here is what that looks like for you.
Time to tell the whole story
Your first visit is a full 60 minutes, so we understand your history and what matters to you before recommending anything.
Decisions made together
You set the pace. We talk through the options, and nothing changes in your plan without your input.
Clear answers in plain language
You’ll know what your diagnosis means, why a treatment is suggested, and what to watch for. Ask anything, at any visit.
Care from home, anywhere in Florida.
Every visit happens by secure video, so getting care fits into your life instead of taking it over.
- Secure, HIPAA-compliant video visits from your phone or computer
- Available anywhere in Florida; you just need to be in the state during each visit
- No commute, no waiting room, no time off just to travel
- Consistent 30-minute follow-ups with a provider who knows your history
Frequently asked questions
How do I know it’s a panic attack and not my heart?
You can’t always tell on your own, which is why a medical checkup matters. If you’ve never been evaluated, or chest pain feels different or severe, call 911 or get emergency care. Once medical causes are ruled out, we can focus on treating panic.
Can panic attacks happen for no reason?
Yes. Many attacks seem to come from nowhere, even during calm moments or sleep. That’s part of what makes them so unsettling, and it’s a common pattern in panic disorder.
Can panic attacks be treated by telehealth?
Yes. Evaluation, medication management, and follow-up all work well by video, and many people find it easier to start care from a place where they already feel safe.
What happens at the first appointment?
It’s a 60-minute video visit. We’ll go over your symptoms, medical and psychiatric history, past medications, sleep, and daily life, and talk about what you’d like to be different. Medication may come up, but no decision is forced or rushed. You’ll leave with clear next steps and a follow-up date.
Do you take insurance?
Yes. We’re in network with Aetna, Cigna, Oscar, and UnitedHealthcare through Headway, and self-pay is available ($250 for the 60-minute evaluation, $125 for 30-minute follow-ups). We’ll verify your coverage before your first visit, so you know what to expect.
Is care available in Russian?
Yes. The entire process, from the first evaluation to follow-up visits, can be done in Russian, in English, or switching between the two.
Panic doesn’t have to run your schedule.
You can start from wherever you feel most comfortable. Booking takes a few minutes, and we’ll take it from there.
Written by Nick Dolin, PMHNP-BC. This page is general information, not medical advice.