Panic attacks bring about feelings of intense fear, and they can feel life altering. For people who experience them regularly, life can be scary. Learning to deal with a panic attack is important, even essential, if an individual wishes to maintain a high quality of life. In this article we will discuss some important tips that can help anyone to deal with reoccurring panic attacks.
Find something you really love to do and then, engage in it when you’re having a panic attack. Choose something that is meditative, like gentle yoga or knitting, so that you’ll get lost in it and forget what is happening to your body. Make sure you’re able to do this whenever an attack hits.
While it’s difficult to think clearly during a panic attack, there is a simple tactic you can use to lessen the severity and duration of the attack. By splashing your face with cold water, your body automatically responds to what is called the “dive reflex.”� This tricks the brain into thinking that you are going underwater, and it sends messages to the body to slow down your heart rate and restrict blood flow to your extremities, allowing you to breathe easier and feel calmer.
Regulating the food you eat can help you to cut back on the panic attacks that you have. You should not eat overly processed foods as they can cause your blood sugar to spike. Keeping your blood sugar at stable levels can help to decrease the amount of panic attacks that you experience.
Anticipate your panic attack. If you have been suffering for panic attacks, you have to have a plan in place for dealing with them when they happen. You don’t want to be caught unawares, so know what you will do before you even start having a panic attack in the first place.
By paying attention to the rate of your breathing, you can better cope with your panic attack. It is vital you control your breathing patterns during a panic attack, as this can help lessen the severity. Try to take deep, even breaths.
When you are in the throes of a panic attack, try not to fight the feelings that come over you. Fighting only increases your adrenaline and makes the attack worse. It’s better to accept the feelings and remind yourself that they will pass, even though you are uncomfortable at the moment.
A silly but successful way to help get through a panic attack is to place something cold, like an ice pack or frozen food, beneath your arms in your armpits. Focus on the coolness and feel it go throughout your body. I have no idea how it works, but it does!
When experiencing a panic attack, do not fight the feelings of anxiety. Understand that when you fight against the natural flow of a panic attack you will only make the situation worse. Ride through the feelings and allow them to subside naturally and the attack will end sooner. This can be difficult to do but with practice you will find it easier.
Don’t worry about being perfect! Is anyone you know perfect? Perfection is the invention of people who want to hold you down, and your mind will grasp onto such an idea and torture you with it. Let perfection go and instead embrace “good enough.” As long as things are good enough you’ll get by!
Consider using time scheduling software to keep tabs on your life and panic attacks at bay. This is a great way to be able to literally visualize what is going to happen to you today, tomorrow, in the next week, and beyond. Knowing what is coming at you can help you feel at ease!
People who suffer from panic attacks deal with a variety of problems. The techniques used by the people in different support groups dealing with panic and anxiety, might also work on your panic attacks.
Try locating a support group if you suffer from panic attacks. This can provide an excellent outlet for stress, and you can glean valuable coping techniques and perspective from your fellow sufferers. Many support groups are run by trained counselors or therapists who can stimulate fruitful discussions and provide advice.
Talk to your doctor about switching up your diet if you want to get healthier and stop panic attacks. He can refer you to a nutritionist who can help you balance out your meals in a way that will work for your lifestyle and body type, leading to less stress and more happiness.
Avoid feelings of dread about future events. Worrying that something bad may happen will only make present situations worse. Your anxious feelings can often be attributed to what you think will happen as a result of a given situation. Do not dwell on what might be and focus on the present and making the best outcome for your current issue.
If you find your anxiety tends to get you to grip the steering wheel to hard when you drive, periodically squeeze the wheel as hard as you can ten times in a row to get your grip back to a normal pressure. When you get to a stop take your hands right off the wheel and shake them out. This can help avoid a panic attack later.
Keeping your mind in the present at all times is an amazing technique for beating panic attacks. Always be conscious of what is going through your head and counteract any negative thoughts as soon as they appear. Replace them with the opposite thought, something positive about your situation, and nip them in the bud!
As was stated in the beginning of this article, panic attacks bring about intense feelings of fear and can result in a poor quality of life if left unresolved. In this article, we have discussed some key tips for dealing with debilitating panic attacks. Incorporate these tips, as well as any specific methods recommended by your physician, to see an over all improvement in your quality of life.
Read more: Tips For Dealing With Your Panic Attacks