This is our Story
Inventor and CEO, Dr. Ellen McGinnis suffered from panic attacks throughout college after a lung collapse.Panic attacks began shortly after when feeling breathless in fear of another lung issue. This expanded into thinking about being breathless such as going climbing stairs or being alone where no one could help her if she were to alone.
After seeking help Ellen discovered a method of biofeedback where she traced her heartbeat with a pencil and paper whenever she would feel the onset of a panic attack. Eventually, she never experienced a panic attack again.
“I suffered from panic attacks. I was in graduate school for clinical psychology, meanwhile, at home I was experiencing a couple of panic attacks a week. I was hyperventilating, my heart was pounding, I felt dizzy. It felt like they were lasting forever… In one of my classes, I heard about the concept of biofeedback from my professor. I tried it out on myself for about 3 weeks during each panic attack I had. That was in spring 2012. That was the last time I ever had a panic attack”
CEO, Dr. Ellen McGinnis
An Introduction
What is happening to your body during a panic attack? What triggered it? PanicMechanic provides real time answers to these questions, giving you control over your panic.
PanicMechanic shows you how your body is responding to your panic attack. It is backed by science and gives you a sense of control when you need it most. Download PanicMechanic today to overcome your panic attacks whenever and wherever they happen.
We created PanicMechanic because we suffered from panic attacks. The biofeedback-based approach we deliver is what worked for us, and PanicMechanic is our way of sharing it with you. Our hope is that it will help you get through your panic attacks, understand what is happening to your body, and identify your common triggers.
The How and Why
When you feel a panic attack coming on, open the app and it will prompt you to place your finger on your phone’s video camera. Several times throughout the attack, your body’s panic response will be recorded. You will also record stress levels, exercise patterns, and lifestyle habits that might help predict future panic attacks. The app lets you watch your body’s panic response decrease as your panic attack ends.
After you’ve logged at least one attack, the app can start giving you information such as, “Based on your average attack, you only have 2 more minutes until the end! You got this!” You can see your panic attack history and learn for yourself what circumstances make you most likely to have an attack. Best of all, users say that the app gives them a sense of control during the attack.
Research on panic and anxiety suggests that by tracking your body’s fear response, you will be able to anticipate your pattern of responding which will help you gain control of your anxiety. By using PanicMechanic during several panic attacks, you will learn how your body will likely respond to certain situations and triggers.
