Panic attacks can give sufferers severe physical symptoms when an irrational fear triggers the “fight or flight” response. The symptoms can include sweating, shortness of breath, raised heartbeat, feeling shaky, faint or nauseous, together with sensations of unreality or fear of losing control. There are a number of possible causes of panic attacks, including phobias (particularly agoraphobia), a traumatic event in the past, and drug and alcohol abuse.

Hypnotherapy can assist in finding the underlying causes which are triggering fear in the subconscious mind, and also in teaching coping mechanisms which enable the sufferer to deal with any symptoms which may arise in the future. The knowledge that they can overcome a panic attack means that an attack is less likely to escalate.