Panic disorder often develops in adolescence and affects close to 3 million Americans in their lifetime, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Panic disorder can cause a teen to become too fearful to attend school, because she might be afraid of having a panic attack in school. The fear of having panic attacks can cause teens to have trouble concentrating and difficulty sleeping, which can impact their ability to succeed in school.
Medication
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry reports that panic disorder can be effectively treated in most teens with a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Two main types of medication--antidepressants and benzodiazepines--are often recommended in treating panic disorder in adolescents. Most doctors prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors before trying other medications, because they're generally safe and have fewer side effects than many other antidepressants. Antidepressants can take weeks to become fully effective, so benzodiazepines might be recommended short-term. However, benzodiazepines are known to become addictive.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is often recommended for teens who suffer from anxiety disorders such as panic disorder, according to Teens Health. Through cognitive-behavioral therapy, teens learn about panic disorder, how their thoughts affect their emotions and behaviors and behavioral techniques to use to reduce the severity of panic attacks. Cognitive-behavioral therapists often teach their clients relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises, guided visualization and meditation. They also encourage the adolescent to become more aware of her emotions and the effect that stress has on her panic attacks.
Family Therapy
When a teen suffers from a mental health disorder such as panic disorder, it's recommended that the parents participate in family therapy. Many times, the cognitive-behavioral therapist who works individually with the teen once a week will also provide family therapy. These sessions can take place directly after an individual session or every other week on a different day than the individual sessions. Through family therapy, the therapist will provide psychoeducation around panic disorder to the parents and inform them of how panic attacks affect their child. The therapist will also provide information on how the parents can help the adolescent cope with his panic attacks. Many times, stress within the family can increase panic attacks, so the therapist would also work with the family on handling conflict and improving communication.
Biofeedback
Biofeedback is a tool used to help people with anxiety disorders learn how to regulate their physical responses to stress. When a teen has a panic attack, the physical symptoms such as a racing heart, muscle tension and sweating seem overpowering, but with the help of biofeedback, teens can learn to regulate these symptoms and reduce them in the moment.
