A a few weeks after I had COVID I started having panic attacks. I went up a couple of flights of stairs at work and felt immensely exhausted - way more than I should have, I use the stairs at work all the time. I started feeling like there might be something wrong with me and that turned into a panic attack. (Later, of course, that turned out to be a symptom of long COVID fatigue.)
I was 32 at the time. Never had a panic attack before. Sometimes felt something was wrong but clear thinking and a few deep breaths and I was okay. Not this time.
In the subsequent couple of months I had a few more random panic attacks - once on a highway; I had to pull over.
So I went and saw a therapist. I don't think they actually helped reduce the attacks - the frequency dropped with time, together with the fatigue. Now, two years later, I only have the mildest of attacks (and I'm at around 60-70% of energy). But they did help me calm down, gave me tools to deal with an attack when it happens and reduced my stress around the entire experience.
It was definitely money well spent, and as much as I can tell from being my own carer, clinically relevant.
I was 32 at the time. Never had a panic attack before. Sometimes felt something was wrong but clear thinking and a few deep breaths and I was okay. Not this time.
In the subsequent couple of months I had a few more random panic attacks - once on a highway; I had to pull over.
So I went and saw a therapist. I don't think they actually helped reduce the attacks - the frequency dropped with time, together with the fatigue. Now, two years later, I only have the mildest of attacks (and I'm at around 60-70% of energy). But they did help me calm down, gave me tools to deal with an attack when it happens and reduced my stress around the entire experience.
It was definitely money well spent, and as much as I can tell from being my own carer, clinically relevant.