Panic Disorder Treatment in Maryland and Waldorf, MD
Panic disorder is a treatable medical condition, not a personal weakness. We diagnose it through a careful evaluation and treat it with medication management and therapy, in person in Waldorf or by telepsychiatry across Maryland.
Insurance plans we accept
What Panic Disorder is , and what it is not.
Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder marked by recurring, unexpected panic attacks, sudden surges of intense fear or discomfort that peak within minutes. The attacks often come without an obvious trigger, and the physical symptoms can feel so severe that many people first go to an emergency room, certain they are having a heart attack.
What turns panic attacks into panic disorder is the fear of the next one. After an attack, people often worry about when another will strike and begin avoiding the places, activities, or sensations they associate with it. Over time that avoidance can narrow daily life, skipping the gym, the highway, the grocery store, or anywhere escape feels hard.
Panic disorder is common and it responds well to treatment. It often appears alongside depression, other anxiety disorders, or substance use, which is one reason an accurate diagnosis matters. With the right plan, the attacks become less frequent and less frightening, and the life that anxiety narrowed tends to open back up.
What it can look like.
Panic disorder shows up as both sudden physical attacks and the ongoing worry that follows them; only a comprehensive evaluation can diagnose it, but these are the signs clinicians look for.
- Recurring, unexpected panic attacks that peak within minutes
- A pounding, racing, or skipping heartbeat during an attack
- Shortness of breath, chest pain, or a feeling of choking
- Sweating, trembling, chills, or hot flushes
- Dizziness, lightheadedness, or feeling faint
- Nausea or stomach distress
- A sense of unreality or feeling detached from yourself
- Fear of losing control or of dying during an attack
- Persistent worry between attacks about when the next one will come
- Avoiding places, activities, or situations linked to past attacks
How we treat Panic Disorder at Oasis of Hope.
Care begins with a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. Panic symptoms overlap with thyroid problems, heart and breathing conditions, other anxiety disorders, and substance use, so a diagnosis is never assumed from the symptoms alone. In a 60 to 90 minute visit, we take your full history, ask about the attacks and what surrounds them, and use validated screening tools where they add clarity. You leave with an initial diagnosis where one is warranted and a plan you understand and agree with.
For many people, medication management is part of that plan. Antidepressants such as SSRIs are a first-line medication for panic disorder and can reduce both the frequency of attacks and the anxiety between them. Charlotte Ayuk-Nkem, APRN, CRNP-PMH, a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, finds the right medication at the right dose and adjusts it with you over follow-up visits, watching benefit against side effect at every step.
Psychotherapy is one of the most effective treatments for panic disorder, and we often pair it with medication. Cognitive-behavioral therapy in particular helps you recognize the thoughts that fuel an attack, understand that the physical sensations are not dangerous, and gradually face the situations panic has taught you to avoid. Through psychotherapy our therapists match the approach to you, drawing on CBT, supportive, and interpersonal work as your needs become clear.
Whether you start with medication, therapy, or both is decided with you. We treat patients ages 6 and up, in person at our Waldorf office or by secure telepsychiatry anywhere in Maryland, with the same depth either way.
Starting care is one phone call.
Your first visit is a comprehensive evaluation, a 60 to 90 minute conversation about what you are experiencing, your history, and what you want to feel different. From there we build a plan together, whether that is medication management, psychotherapy, or a combination, and we adjust it with you over time. You can be seen in person at our Waldorf, MD office or by secure telepsychiatry anywhere in Maryland.
We accept 13 insurance plans, including Medicaid, Medicare, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, UnitedHealthcare, UMR, Kaiser Permanente, Tricare, Priority Partners, Wellpoint, and GEHA. Call 301-710-4218 and we will verify your coverage before your first visit.
A panic attack feels like an emergency, but the attack itself is not life-threatening and will pass. If you or someone you love is in immediate crisis, call or text 988 (the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) or call 911, Oasis of Hope is not an emergency service.
More conditions we treat
Panic Disorder questions
Common questions about panic disorder and how we treat it at Oasis of Hope.
Still have a question? Reach out, we'll answer honestly.
Your first step is a single phone call.
Book a consultation online or call us directly. We answer Monday through Saturday, 8:30am–6pm.