Panic attacks
Panic attacks are sudden, intense surges of fear, panic or anxiety. It is depressing and has physical and emotional symptoms. Many people with panic attacks may have trouble breathing, sweat profusely, shake, and feel their heart pounding.
Some people will experience chest pain and a sense of detachment from reality or oneself during a panic attack, so they think they have a heart attack. Others reported that they felt like they had a stroke.
Panic attacks can be frightening and hit you quickly. Here are 11 strategies you can use to try to stop a panic attack when you have a panic attack or feel it is coming:
1. Breathe deeply
While hyperventilation is a symptom of panic attacks that can increase fear, deep breathing can reduce panic symptoms during an attack. If you can control your breathing, you are less likely to experience hyperventilation, which can make other symptoms and the panic attack itself worse. Focus on bringing deep breaths in and out of your mouth, feel the air slowly fill your chest and stomach, and then slowly let go. Take a four-person breath, wait a second, and then take a four-person breath.
2.Know you have a panic attack
By realizing that you have a panic attack instead of a heart attack, you can remind yourself that it is temporary, that it will pass, and that you are well. Eliminate the fact that both signs of panic attacks may be dying or fear of the impending doom. This may allow you to focus on other techniques to reduce your symptoms.
3.Close your eyes
Some panic attacks come from triggers that overwhelm you. If you’re in a fast-paced environment with lots of stimuli, this can fuel your panic attacks. Close your eyes during a panic attack to reduce stimuli. This can block any extra stimulus and make it easier to focus on your breathing.
4. Practice awareness
Mindfulness can help ground you to the reality of those around you. Panic attacks may struggle when approaching or actually happening with this panic attack as it can cause a feeling of detachment or separation from reality. Focus on familiar physical sensations, such as digging your feet into the ground or feeling the texture of your jeans in your hands. These particular sensations actually ground you tightly and give you something objective to focus on.
5. Find a focus object
Some people find it helpful to find a single object during a panic attack to focus their full attention. Choose an object clearly and write down everything about it. For example, you may notice how the hand on the watch jolts and shifts slightly when ticking. Explain to yourself the object’s patterns, color, shapes and size. Focus all your energy on this object and your panic symptoms may subside.
6.Use muscle relaxation techniques
Like deep breathing, muscle relaxation techniques can help stop your panic attacks by controlling your body’s response as much as possible. Starting with something as simple as fingers in your hand, consciously relax one muscle at a time and work your way up your body.
Muscle relaxation techniques will be more effective when you apply them beforehand.
7.Imagine yourself where you are happy
Where in the world is the most relaxing place you can think of? A sunny beach with slow waves? A cabin in the mountains? Imagine yourself there and try to focus as much as possible on the details. Imagine digging your toes into warm sand or smelling the pungent scent of pine trees. This place should be quiet, calm and relaxing.
8.Do light exercise
Endorphins make the blood pump immediately. It can help flood our bodies with endorphins that can improve our mood. Because you are stressed, do light exercise on the body such as walking or swimming. The exception is if you are hyperventilating or have trouble breathing. Do your best to catch your breath first.
9.Keep Lavender With You
Lavender is known to be soothing and stress reliever. It can help your body relax. If you know you are prone to panic attacks, hold a lavender essential oil in your hand and put some on your forearms when you have a panic attack. Inhale the smell. You can also try drinking lavender or chamomile tea. Both are relaxing and soothing. Lavender should not be combined with benzodiazepines. This combination can cause intense drowsiness.
10. Repeat a mantra internally.
Internally repeating a mantra can be relaxing and reassuring and can give you something to grasp during a panic attack. Whether it’s simply “This too will pass” or a mantra that speaks to you personally, repeat the cycle in your head until you feel the panic attack starting to subside.
11.Take benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines can help treat panic attacks if you take them as soon as you sense an attack. While other approaches to panic treatment are preferred, the field of psychiatry has a handful of people who will not fully (or in some cases) respond fully to the other approaches listed above, and therefore will depend on pharmacological approaches to treatment. These approaches often include benzodiazepines, some of which have FDA approval for the treatment of this condition, such as alprazolam (Xanax).
Because benzodiazepines are a prescription drug, you will likely need a diagnosis of panic disorder to have the medication available.
This drug is highly addictive and the body can adapt to it over time. It should only be used in small quantities and in case of extreme need.
