For some, the start of fall means pumpkin flavors, cozy sweaters, and changing leaves. Others associate the season with colder temperatures, the arrival of snow, and the dreaded “seasonal depression.”

Let’s be honest…in the midst of a panic attack, it’s difficult to feel gratitude for the protective function. Instead, you may find yourself very literally itching to avoid the discomfort and begging to retreat somewhere safe — or you may feel so overwhelmed that fleeing for safety isn’t a possibility. Though an explanation for what’s really happening may not fix the panic symptoms, it can encourage conscious awareness that the symptoms will not last forever — and are not putting you in any further harm.

Chicago Center for Behavioral Health therapists are skilled in CBT, as well as other behavioral therapies that can encourage positive growth. With empirically researched treatments, we strive to help clients break the cycle of maladaptive thoughts and behaviors. Click here for more information on our services.

Very often, mental illness — and individual symptoms — operate differently in individuals. Not all diagnoses look the same, meaning not every person with anxiety or depression has the same daily behaviors. While some symptoms may be easy to assume, others are invisible to outsiders, and sometimes, even a person themselves.