Panic Attacks

Panic attacks are sudden and physical — they can feel more like a medical emergency than an emotional one the first time they happen. For a lot of postal workers we evaluate, the first attack came right after a specific incident on the route, or built up gradually after months of chronic anxiety finally boiled over.

What tends to trigger them

• A specific traumatic event — an assault, a dog attack, a near-miss accident — resurfacing without warning
• Escalating, untreated anxiety or chronic workplace stress
• A specific location, customer, or situation that echoes a past incident
• Sheer accumulated exhaustion from working through chronic pain or a hostile environment

How it shows up

• A sudden, intense wave of fear that seems to come out of nowhere
• A racing heart, chest tightness, or trouble catching your breath
• Dizziness, sweating, or shaking
• A sense of losing control, or fear that something is seriously physically wrong
• Afterward, dread about when the next one might happen — which can start to shape your whole day

Getting it recognized as an OWCP-accepted condition

Panic attacks are often evaluated alongside an underlying anxiety or trauma diagnosis, since they're usually one symptom of a larger picture. Documenting when they started, what tends to trigger them, and how they connect to a work incident or work conditions is central to the evaluation.

Treatment through our practice

Telehealth counseling addresses both the underlying cause and practical strategies for managing an attack when it happens. Sessions are billed directly through OWCP once your condition is accepted, with a counselor licensed in your state.