Psychiatric Assessment & Medication Management
Panic Attacks
A panic attack can be frightening, especially the first time. If you have been through one, or several, you may be wondering what is happening and what can help. Fall Bloom Mental Health offers psychiatric assessment and medication management for adults and adolescents across Michigan who are dealing with panic.
Request a ConsultWhat a Panic Attack Can Feel Like
People describe panic attacks in different ways. A sudden surge of intense fear or dread. A racing or pounding heart. Shortness of breath, chest tightness, dizziness, shaking, sweating, or a feeling of being detached from what is around you. Many people describe a powerful urge to escape wherever they are.
An episode often peaks within minutes and then gradually eases, though it can leave you drained and worried about the next one. Describing your own experience in your own words is an important part of an evaluation, because no two people experience panic in exactly the same way.
It can also help to note what was happening just before an episode, how long it lasted, and what you did afterward. Those details give the conversation a concrete starting point.
It is also common to worry between episodes about when the next one might come. That anticipatory worry is worth mentioning at an evaluation, because it is part of the pattern and part of what a plan can address.
When to Seek Emergency Care First
Some symptoms that feel like panic can also be signs of a medical emergency. A first episode that includes chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting, or other alarming physical symptoms needs emergency medical evaluation before anyone assumes it is panic. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Once a medical cause has been ruled out, a psychiatric evaluation can look at what else may be going on. Fall Bloom Mental Health is not a crisis or emergency service. If you are in crisis, call 911, go to the nearest emergency room, or call or text 988.
How an Evaluation Approaches Panic
A 60-minute psychiatric evaluation with Claudia Fall, PMHNP-BC, looks at the full picture: how often episodes happen, whether anything seems to trigger them, and whether you have started avoiding places or situations because of them. Avoidance matters, because it can quietly shrink your life over time.
The evaluation also reviews sleep, caffeine, stress, physical health, and other factors that can feed panic. Through Functional & Integrative Psychiatry, care considers nutrition, lifestyle, and laboratory findings when appropriate, because physical health and panic often influence each other.
Panic frequently travels with broader anxiety. The anxiety and stress disorders page describes how care approaches the wider pattern when worry extends well beyond panic episodes.
Medication as One Possible Tool
Medication management may be discussed as part of a plan for panic. Medication is one possible tool, never a requirement. Every decision is made together based on your symptoms, your goals, and your comfort level, and any plan can be reviewed and adjusted at follow-up visits.
If you are already taking a medication, never start, stop, or change it on your own. Talk with your prescriber before changing or stopping any medication.
When Therapy Would Help
Skills-based treatment with a therapist is often an important part of care for panic, alongside or instead of medication. When that would help, Claudia provides referrals to trusted therapists and specialists, so you are connected with the right support rather than left to search alone.
Many people find that understanding what panic is, and what it is not, already reduces some of the fear around it. Part of an evaluation is simply giving you clear information about your own pattern.
Getting Started
Care is available by secure telehealth for patients physically located anywhere in Michigan, with limited in-person appointments at the Clinton office. A free 15-minute consultation is a low-pressure way to ask questions. Reach out through the contact page or request an appointment through the client portal. For cost and coverage questions, see fees, insurance, and FAQs and verify coverage with the office.
Common Questions
How do I know if what I had was a panic attack?
You cannot know for certain on your own, and some symptoms overlap with medical emergencies. A first episode with chest pain or trouble breathing needs emergency evaluation. After that, a psychiatric evaluation can help sort out what is happening.
Will I have to take medication for panic?
No. Medication is one possible tool, never a requirement. Decisions are made together based on your symptoms, goals, and comfort level, and referrals to trusted therapists are provided when skills-based treatment would help.
Can panic attacks be treated through telehealth?
Yes. Psychiatric evaluation and medication management for panic are available by secure telehealth for patients physically located anywhere in Michigan, with limited in-person appointments at the Clinton office.
Crisis Information
Fall Bloom Mental Health is not a crisis or emergency service. If you are experiencing a medical or psychiatric emergency, call 911, go to the nearest emergency room, or contact 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline immediately.
Treatment outcomes vary and are not guaranteed.
