Dealing With Panic Attacks
10 Top Tips For Dealing With Panic Attacks Revealed!
Dealing with panic attacks is not fun but it is important to remember that you are not alone. Many people suffer from panic attacks at some point in their lives. As many as one in ten US citizens will at some point experience a panic attack, that’s a lot of people!
This is actually a good thing as it means that lots of research has already been conducted into dealing with panic attacks and as a result there are now some clearly defined strategies that can be used to deal with panic attacks.
Of course consulting your doctor is always the best place to start, which may lead to a psychological therapy sessions or a course of medication or a combination of the two. Either way neither of these are as scary as they sound. However in the meantime here are some great guidelines for dealing with panic attacks when they occur:
==> My Cure For Dealing With Panic Attacks <==
- Slow, deep breathes is one of the very best ways of dealing with panic attacks. Mentally in your head count to 3 as your draw breathe and again as you exhale. Whilst this is not easy at the time it is important to try to do this as this nips the viscous spiral of frightening feelings and paranoia in the bud and stops your thoughts getting carried away with themselves!
- Stay in the same spot. Resist the temptation to move around. In order for your body to come to terms with the situation it needs to have as few variables as possible and staying in the same place generally provides this. Going somewhere else can simply make matters worse as even small changes/issues can seem like big deals when in the middle of a panic attack.
- Select a focus. Choose a steady to target for you to focus your attention on. Something predictable and non threatening like a clock, photo of your family in your wallet or something similar is ideal. At the same time remind yourself that any scary feelings will pass!
- Realise the world is not about to end. I know this sounds a bit harsh but really it isn’t! Put your panic attacks into perspective and realise that they are not life threatening they do not last for long and you can get over them. Remember this and it can diffuse the panic attack before it ever really gets going. Don’t be your own worst enemy!
- Visualise really helps in dealing with panic attacks. This skill can take a bit of time to get the hang of so practise it a few times when you are not panicking before using it in a ‘live’ situation. Basically you simply need to draw a picture of yourself completely relaxed in your mind’s eye. You can picture yourself on holiday on the beach working on your tan, whatever you like just so long as it provides the feeling of relaxation. You can then create this same picture when you do have an attack in the future and it can be very calming and reassuring shortening both the length and severity of your panic attack symptoms.
- Do not struggle against the panic attack. Fighting the panic attack is not the correct approach. Remember the saying: ‘what you resist persists’. Fighting just means you are putting your focus on the symptoms which will inevitably increase the spiralling effect of the panic attack and will make things get worse. Instead focus on letting the feelings go safe in the knowledge that the panic attack will pass as it always does!
- Exercise. Hit the gym or go for a run or do any other exercise that you enjoy and really get stuck into it. This is a great way to release anxiety and stress and prevents them from bubbling up into a panic attack so easily.
- Get on the wagon, well at least some of the time. Minimise your use of caffeine and alcohol neither of which are particularly helpful in staying calm as they are both stimulants and will not help you settle. Why not try a soothing chamomile tea instead
- Actually relax in your free time. That’s’ right stop worrying about your panic disorder in your free time and actually use the time to take it easy and relax properly. This, more often than not will then have a knock effect into the other areas of your life and help reduce the panic attacks and anxiety thus dealing with the panic attacks indirectly.
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