Panic Attacks and New Findings on Treatment

Feeling overwhelmed? It might just be a panic attack, which is, honestly, more common than you might think.

Statistics suggest that over 28% of adults experience at least one panic attack during their lives. In fact, around 2% to 3% of the U.S. population faces frequent episodes, qualifying them for a panic disorder diagnosis.

Typically, panic disorder is managed through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or antidepressants. However, recent research from Brazil has introduced a new, potentially more effective approach: short bursts of intense exercise.

Ricardo William Muotri, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of São Paulo, stated, “We now show that a 12-week program of short, intense intermittent exercise can be used as an interoceptive exposure strategy to treat patients with panic disorder.”

Interoceptive exposure, a CBT method, deliberately provokes symptoms like rapid heartbeats and dizziness in a controlled setting to help disrupt the cycle of anxiety.

A study published recently involved 102 adults diagnosed with panic disorder, who were divided into two groups: one underwent a 12-week exercise program, while the other participated in relaxation therapy. During the exercise sessions, individuals engaged in stretching, walking, and high-intensity intervals of running, along with recovery periods, before finishing with another walk. Participant experiences in the relaxation group involved muscle contraction and relaxation techniques.

Importantly, no medication was used during this trial, and all participants were equipped with biometric devices to monitor their sessions.

The effectiveness of these approaches was gauged using the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (PAS), which consists of 13 survey questions aimed at assessing the severity of panic disorder. Researchers also tracked how often and intensely participants experienced panic attacks.

Results indicated that mean PAS scores, along with anxiety and depression levels, decreased for both groups over 24 weeks. However, the exercise group experienced a more significant reduction in both scores and panic attack frequency and severity. Interestingly, those who engaged in the exercise routine reported enjoying it more than the relaxation group.

This newfound enthusiasm for exercise could lead to better engagement and adherence to daily routines among patients.

Researchers are optimistic about these findings. Muotri emphasized, “Health care professionals can employ short periods of intermittent intense exercise as a natural, low-cost interoceptive exposure strategy.” He further noted the approach’s flexibility, stating it doesn’t need to be confined to clinical settings, making it more applicable in patients’ everyday lives. There’s potential for this method to become a valuable component of treatment for anxiety and depression as well.