Surviving a Panic Attack

Do you suffer from panic attacks? Does it feel like your heart is going to beat right out of your chest? Are you unsure as to what to do when this happens? Then this blog may be for you.

As someone who has had their fair share of panic attacks and also helped others manage panic attacks, I have gained a little bit of helpful knowledge to subside the effects of a panic attack or even stop them in their tracks.

They can be very terrifying especially if you experience one while you are alone. For a brief moment in time, it feels as if you may die. Your heart rate accelerates, you can barely control your breathing, you may start sweating and/or trembling, and sometimes they can be combined with tears that will just not stop falling.

Here are some helpful tips to survive your panic attack:

1. The first step and maybe the most important is to try to get your breathing under control.

   1. Close your eyes to help reduce the stimuli around you and really focus on your breathing

   2. Place your hand between your bellybutton and the bottom of your ribs, inhale through your nose slowly and deeply, then let the air out gently through your mouth and focus on feeling your belly rise and then fall

   3. Count from 1 to 5 on each inhale and exhale

   4. Another breathing method is the 4-7-8 breathing: breathing in for 4 seconds, holding the breath for 7 seconds, exhaling slowly for 8 seconds

2. After you have gotten your breathing under control, it is important to acknowledge that you are having a panic attack.

   1. Don't fight the symptoms, but try to keep reminding yourself that it is a panic attack and it WILL pass

   2. Practice a go-to phrase to repeat to yourself such as "I am not afraid", "this is temporary", "this will pass", "I will be OK"

3. Once you have acknowledged that you are having a panic attack, it may then be helpful to try to keep your mind in the present.

   1. Find five things you can see

   2. Think about four things you can touch

   3. Three things you can hear

   4. Two things you can smell

   5. One thing you can taste

4. Another way to keep your mind present and focused on something other than the fear of the panic attack is to try to find a physical object in the environment around you to help ground you.

   1. Find something to focus all of your attention on

   2. Pick an object in clear sight

   3. Consciously note everything you can about the object

   4. Think about how it feels, who made it, and its shape

5. Try to practice "progressive relaxation" which can help stop the panic attack by controlling your body's response as much as possible.

   1. Tense one muscle at a time, then relax it

   2. Repeat this everywhere in your body until your body is relaxed

6. Picture your happy place.

   1. If you don't have one, try to think of somewhere you feel at peace and ease

   2. It doesn't have to be a real place, it can be somewhere made up

   3. It should be somewhere quiet, calm, and relaxing

7. Engage in some kind of light exercise to help reduce stress which will ultimately reduce panic attacks as stress is one of the main causes of panic attacks.

   1. Walking

   2. Light jogging

   3. Swimming

8. Take the time to slow down. Slowing your body down can then slow your mind down. Using slow body movements to help train the mind to be calm and aware.

   1. Practice yoga or tai chi

9. Invest in a calming essential oil.

   1. Lavender has a calming effect that helps reduce stress and helps you relax

   2. Some studies have found that the inhalation and oral administration of lavender oil may help relieve anxiety

   3. Either hold the oil under the nose and inhale gently or dab some onto a handkerchief to smell

   4. Other essential oils that may be help: orange, chamomile, or lemon

10. If you are prone to panic attacks, make sure someone knows that you may experience one so that they are aware of what is happening and potentially even help.

    1. Perhaps you experience them often in the same environment, such as a workplace or a social setting

    2. Telling somebody that may be around at those times can be helpful so you can let them know what kind of support to offer

    3. If you are alone in a public place, telling someone may help as they can help locate a quiet place and/or prevent others from overcrowding you and making it worse

11. It can be beneficial to learn what may trigger your panic attacks. Learning to manage or avoid the triggers can help reduce the frequency or intensity of your panic attacks.

    1. Tight spaces

    2. Large crowds

    3. Public speaking

    4. Arguments / confrontation

    5. Loud sounds

These are all tips that can be used for yourself when you experience a panic attack or used to help someone you know experiencing a panic attack. If you are someone that experiences panic attacks often, it may be helpful to show this post to someone that is usually around when you experience panic attacks so they are knowledgable on what to do next time.

Panic attacks are scary and sometimes completely unexpected without any specific triggers. However, they should not limit our ability to live our lives to the fullest.