Panic Attacks Hypnotherapy in Ely

Panic attacks can feel frightening, intense and completely out of the blue. Many people describe the sudden rush of symptoms as overwhelming, especially when they don’t understand why it’s happening or fear something is seriously wrong.

In my work as an anxiety specialist and clinical hypnotherapist in Ely and the surrounding Cambridgeshire area, I regularly support people who feel stuck in cycles of panic - often worrying about when the next attack might happen just as much as the attacks themselves.

You start to worry about when your next panic attack may strike and so you avoid certain places or situations. 

The good news is that panic attacks are understandable, treatable and not dangerous, even though they can feel extremely real and distressing. 

 

What panic attacks can feel like

Panic attacks affect both the body and the mind. They can feel distressing and overwhelming.

Symptoms vary from person to person, but commonly include:

• a racing or pounding heart
• tightness in the chest
• shortness of breath
• dizziness or light-headedness
• Feeling hot or nauseous
• tingling, numbness or shaking
• feeling detached or “not quite here”
• fear of losing control, fainting or dying

These sensations can come on suddenly and often peak quickly, which is why panic attacks feel so alarming.

We all have an inbuilt panic function – it’s designed to keep us safe if we are ever in danger (the fight or flight response). Yet sometimes our panic response becomes too sensitive and is fired off by everyday situations.

The anxiety fear of your next panic attack creates a cycle of fearing the fear – which adds to your sense of panic and worry.

 

Why panic attacks feel so overwhelming

Panic attacks are caused by the body’s fight-or-flight response switching on suddenly and powerfully.

This response is part of your nervous system’s survival mechanism. It prepares your body to react to danger by increasing heart rate, breathing and muscle tension. In genuine emergencies, this response is helpful.

With panic attacks, however, the nervous system reacts as if there is danger, even when there isn’t. The response happens automatically - not because you’re weak, broken or doing anything wrong.

Although panic symptoms can feel out of control, they are normal physical responses and they always pass. Understanding this is often the first step in reducing fear of the sensations themselves.

 

The panic cycle

Many people become caught in a panic cycle:

1. A panic attack occurs
2. The sensations feel frightening
3. Fear of the sensations increases
4. The body stays on high alert
5. Panic becomes more likely again

Over time, people may start avoiding situations where panic has happened before. This avoidance can make panic feel more powerful and unpredictable.

Support focuses on breaking this cycle - not by fighting panic, but by helping the nervous system learn to settle again. You can calm your anxious thoughts and feelings and feel more in control again. 

 

How hypnotherapy helps with panic attacks

Hypnotherapy helps by working with both the nervous system and the patterns of thought that keep panic cycles in place.

Rather than trying to suppress panic, the focus is on:

• calming the body’s automatic stress response
• reducing fear of physical sensations
• changing how the mind interprets panic symptoms
• rebuilding confidence in everyday situations

As your nervous system becomes calmer and more regulated, panic attacks become less intense, less frequent, and easier to manage. You feel more calm, confident and in control.

 

Understanding anxiety more broadly

Panic attacks are closely linked to anxiety. If you’d like a wider explanation of how anxiety affects thoughts, emotions and physical sensations, you may find the Anxiety Support Hub helpful.

 

What to expect from sessions

Sessions are calm, supportive and tailored to you. There’s no pressure to relive panic attacks or force anything.

We work at a pace that feels manageable, focusing on helping you feel safer, calmer and more in control - both during sessions and in everyday life. We will change the current habitual pattern of panic into a new pattern where you are thinking, feeling and doing things how you want to be. And you will learn the strategies to keep you feeling better. 

Many people notice that as panic reduces, their confidence and sense of freedom increase naturally.

 

Book a free consultation

Many people book a free consultation simply to talk through what’s been happening and to see whether support feels right for them. There is no pressure and no expectation to commit.

If panic attacks are affecting your life, support is available - and things can feel better again.

👉 Book a free consultation