Please remember, this column is designed to help the consumer seeking behavioral-health information, and not intended to be any form of psychotherapy or a replacement for professional, individualized services. Opinions expressed in the column are those of the columnist and do not represent the position of other SelfhelpMagazine.com staff.

Question

Recently I was at a supermarket and had a terrifying experience. I was standing in line and suddenly I felt dizzy and short of breath. I felt I was going to faint. Also my heart was racing and I was sweating. I went to my doctor but he found nothing wrong with me. Now I am afraid to go back to the market. Can you help?

Answer

What you may have experienced was a panic attack. This intense form of anxiety can be very frightening. The good news is that it is very treatable. You may want to check back with your physician about how to proceed. I'd encourage you to consider touching base with a therapist familiar with treating panic attacks.

There are many effective behavioral approaches to dealing with this problem. You may be wondering why you would have a panic attack. Sometimes these attacks happen strictly because of changes in our chemistry. They do not necessarily mean that there is some underlying problem; again a therapist can help you sort that out.

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