Use Muscle Relaxation Techniques
Much like deep breathing, muscle relaxation techniques can help stop your panic attack in its tracks by controlling your bodys response as much as possible.
Consciously relax one muscle at a time, starting with something simple like the fingers in your hand, and move your way up through your body.
Muscle relaxation techniques will be most effective when youve practiced them beforehand.
How To Stop A Panic Attack When You Feel It Coming On
During this unprecedented time of uncertainty and stress, between financial concerns, cabin fever, and the ongoing threat of a potentially dangerous virus, its perfectly normal if you find yourself dealing with increased levels of anxiety. When anxiety seems to overwhelm suddenly, like a tidal wave, we typically refer to it as a panic attack.
How can you tell if what youre feeling is a panic attack, and what are some ways you can stop it if you feel an attack coming on?
How To Stop A Panic Attack According To Mental Health Experts
Panic attacks can be terrifying but they aren’t undefeatable.
getty
The Covid-19 pandemic and now the post-pandemic return to ‘normalcy’ in some places, has contributed to a significant surge in stress and anxiety levels across the globe.;
One of the major byproducts of living with this severe pandemic-induced stress and anxiety has been a sharp increase in panic attacks. According to a 2021 survey, three-quarters of Americans have experienced a panic attack since the start of the pandemic. Meanwhile, separate research published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA found that there has been a huge spike in Internet searches for “panic attacks” and “anxiety attacks” since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.
“Anxiety disorders are at an all-time high,” says Aimee Rubin, New York-based licensed clinical therapist specializing in anxiety, OCD and depression. “I have noticed that people who have never formally been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder now are. I’m finding a lot of individuals who have developed generalized anxiety disorder , which has been turned into obsessive-compulsive disorder , panic attack disorder and anxiety attacks,” she adds.;
First things first, what exactly is a panic attack?;
“Given the sudden onset and the intensity of the physical and psychological symptoms, many people think they are having a medical emergency,” adds Dr. Lira de la Rosa.
Don’t Miss: How Does Trileptal Work For Bipolar
Losing Touch With Reality
This symptom is simply due to the reduced blood flow to your brain on account of shallow breathing. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients which your brain needs to function optimally.
Your doctor may talk to you about depersonalisation and derealisation.
You may be telling yourself that youre going crazy or losing your mind.
I am telling you that its a normal symptom of a panic or anxiety attack. Reframe this symptom as your brain disconnecting you from the full impact of the feared situation.
Heres the way to stop it
What Causes Panic Disorder
While the exact causes are not known, what researchers do know is that panic disorder does sometimes run in families. And it is often seen in individuals who suffer from other anxiety disorders explains Cole.
For example, a person with obsessive-compulsive disorder may experience a panic attack when their schedule or compulsions are interrupted. Individuals who struggle with specific phobias are also susceptible to panic attacks. A person with an extreme fear of heights may experience a panic attack in a penthouse apartment.
And for someone with generalized anxiety disorder , a condition characterized by extreme fear or worry, the unending anxiety can escalate to a panic attack. People with post-traumatic stress disorder have a higher incidence of panic disorder than the general population.; Illness or traumatic events increase the chances of panic attacks.
People with hyperthyroidism , mitral valve prolapse, and other conditions or diseases also may be more easily triggered.
Recommended Reading: Can You Have A Panic Attack While High
Mental Health Treatment Program Locator
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides this online resource for locating mental health treatment facilities and programs. The Mental Health Treatment Locator section of the Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator lists facilities providing mental health services to persons with mental illness. Find a facility in your state at www.nimh.nih.gov/findhelp.
Where To Find Professional Help For Panic Attacks
Note that everyone is different and no one technique can be guaranteed to work for everyone.
If youve failed to conquer;panic attacks on your own or feel that they are interfering with your life in a significant way, it may be time to seek professional help.
While the standard medical treatments for anxiety and panic are anti-anxiety drugs and cognitive behavioral therapy, these are not your only options.
You may want to consider working with a certified;EFT practitioner.
You can find one in your area, or locate one who sees patients remotely, using these international databases:
Don’t Miss: How Can You Tell If Someone Is Depressed
How Common Are Anxiety Disorders
The World Health Organisation estimates that 1 in 13 people have an anxiety disorder. This means that there are more than half a billion people living with a highly treatable mental illness.
What does this mean for you?
If you are experiencing prolonged anxiety, you are not alone. It is common for people with an anxiety disorder to feel isolated and misunderstood. The good news is that anxiety can be effectively managed with the right type of guidance from a health professional.
How To Stop A Panic Attack
Trying to force yourself to stop a panic attack may make your symptoms worse. However, there are some ways to stop a panic attack when you feel it coming on.;
Understanding how panic works and the stages of a panic attack can help you control your racing thoughts and calm yourself. When you understand whats happening with your body and what will happen next, you can talk yourself through the attack.
Learning how to control your breathing can help with hyperventilation and can be a focus for racing thoughts. A technique called box breathing involves inhaling for four counts, holding for four counts, exhaling for four count, and then holding for four counts. Repeat this for a few minutes and focus on the counts and the breath.
Exercising regularly and getting proper sleep are also ways to lower your susceptibility for panic attacks. Exercise helps regulate your emotions and reduce stress. Regular, quality sleep can make it easier to manage upsetting situations and negative emotional responses that accompany them.;
Relaxation techniques, like gentle yoga or daily meditation, can also help center you. When you practice mindfulness and develop consistency with meditation, you may more easily be able to soothe your fears with the meditation techniques you practice when youre calmer.
Other triggers for panic attacks include certain life changes and major transitions like having a baby, losing a loved one, getting married or divorced, losing your job, or graduating college.
Also Check: How Many Types Of Bipolar Are There
Why You Wont Choke Or Faint
Your body-mind always automatically adjusts any external and internal changes. So, the moment it perceives danger in the environment, real or imagined, it ensures youre prepared to tackle whatever comes your way. Therefore, you dont need to feel, as some people do, that youre a freak and that your bodys letting you down.
Remind yourself often: your body and mind are responding normally to what they perceive as abnormal circumstances. You are healthy and safe.
Id like you to practise the following breathing exercise several times a day. Learning how to control your breathing in a safe environment means itll be much easier to keep calmer when you;feel a panic attack coming on.
What Helps To Manage Panic Attacks
Panic attacks can be frightening, but there are things you can do to help yourself cope. It could help to print off these tips, or write them down, and keep them somewhere easy to find.
During a panic attack:
- Focus on your breathing. It can help to concentrate on breathing slowly in and out while counting to five.
- Stamp on the spot. Some people find this helps control their breathing.
- Focus on your senses. For example, taste mint-flavoured sweets or gum, or touch or cuddle something soft.
- Try grounding techniques. Grounding techniques can help you feel more in control. They’re especially useful if you experience dissociation during panic attacks. See our page on self-care for dissociation;for more information on grounding techniques.
After a panic attack:
- Think about self-care. It’s important to pay attention to what your body needs after you’ve had a panic attack. For example, you might need to rest somewhere quietly, or eat or drink something.
- Tell someone you trust. If you feel able to, it could help to let someone know you’ve had a panic attack. It could be particularly helpful to mention how they might notice if you’re having another one, and how you’d like them to help you.
See our pages on self-care for anxiety and treatments for anxiety for more information on what could help.
Don’t Miss: Can Depression Make You Lose Your Appetite
Panic Disorder In Children
Panic disorder is more common in teenagers than in younger children.
Panic attacks can be particularly hard for children and young people to deal with. Severe panic disorder may affect their development and learning.
If your child has the signs and symptoms of panic disorder, they should see a GP.
After taking a detailed medical history the GP will carry out a thorough physical examination to rule out any physical causes for the symptoms.
They may refer your child to a specialist for further assessment and treatment. The specialist may recommend a course of CBT for your child.
Screening for other anxiety disorders may also be needed to help find the cause of your child’s panic attacks.
When To Seek Help
Panic attacks can be frightening and disorienting. If someone is worried about a panic attack, they can talk to their doctor for advice and reassurance.
Recurring or severe panic attacks can be a symptom of panic disorder. This condition affects 23% of people in the United States each year.
A person may want to talk to a healthcare professional if their panic attacks:
- are recurring and unexpected
- are getting in the way of daily life
- do not pass with home coping methods
A doctor can talk a person through both short-term coping methods and long-term treatment options.
The symptoms of a panic attack can resemble those of a heart attack. These include chest pain, anxiety, and sweating. If someone suspects a heart attack or stroke, the person needs immediate medical attention.
Don’t Miss: What Not To Say To Someone With Bipolar
What Does A Panic Attack Feel Like
A panic attack comes on suddenly, and the symptoms typically peak within 10 minutes. Its rare for a panic attack to last more than an hour. Most last about 20 to 30 minutes. While it seems like a short amount of time in theory, when youre in the moment, you may feel desperate to know how to stop having a panic attack.;
Symptoms of a panic attack can involve:
- Racing heartbeat or heart palpitations
- Chest pain, tightness, or discomfort
- Sweating or cold sweats
- Shaking hands, feeling like youre trembling all over
- Hyperventilating or shortness of breath
- Hot flashes, followed by shivering cold flashes
- Feeling like youre choking or that theres tightness around your throat or neck
- Numbness in your extremities or tingling sensations in your hands or fingertips
- Detachment from your surroundings or feeling like your situation is unreal
- Fear of losing control, dying, or going crazy
Not everyone will experience a panic attack in the same way, and not every panic attack will produce all of these symptoms. The overwhelming feeling of helplessness is the most common symptom. This is why many people want to learn how to stop a panic attack naturally.;
Repeated panic attacks can take an emotional toll, both from the fear of having another panic attack and the adrenaline hangover that comes after the intense fearful feelings of the initial panic attack. Repeated panic attacks can indicate panic disorder.
Treatment For Panic Attacks And Panic Disorder
The most effective form of professional treatment for tackling panic attacks, panic disorder, and agoraphobia is therapy. Even a short course of treatment can help.
Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on the thinking patterns and behaviors that are sustaining or triggering your panic attacks and helps you look at your fears in a more realistic light. For example, if you had a panic attack while driving, what is the worst thing that would really happen? While you might have to pull over to the side of the road, you are not likely to crash your car or have a heart attack. Once you learn that nothing truly disastrous is going to happen, the experience of panic becomes less terrifying.
Hotlines and support
NAMI Helpline; Trained volunteers can provide information, referrals, and support for those suffering from anxiety disorders in the U.S. Call 1-800-950-6264.
Find a Therapist; Search for anxiety disorder treatment providers in the U.S.
Support Groups; List of support groups in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and South Africa.
Anxiety UK; Information, support, and a dedicated helpline for UK sufferers and their families. Call: 03444 775 774.
Anxiety Canada; Provides links to services in different Canadian provinces.
SANE Help;Centre Provides information about symptoms, treatments, medications, and where to go for support in Australia. Call: 1800 18 7263. .
You May Like: Is Yoga Good For Anxiety And Panic Attacks
Is It Panic Disorder
If you feel constantly stressed and anxious, particularly about when your next panic attack may be, you may have panic disorder.
People with panic disorder may avoid situations that might cause a panic attack. They may also fear and avoid public spaces .
“There’s no quick fix, but if your attacks are happening time after time, seek medical help,” says Professor Salkovskis.
Read more about panic attacks, including personal stories, at;See Me Scotland.
When To Get Help
See a GP if you’ve been experiencing symptoms of panic disorder.
They’ll ask you to describe your symptoms, how often you get them, and how long you have had them.
They may also carry out a physical examination to rule out other conditions that could be causing your symptoms.
It can sometimes be difficult to talk about your feelings, emotions and personal life, but try not to feel anxious or embarrassed.
You may be diagnosed with panic disorder if you have regular and unexpected panic attacks followed by at least a month of continuous worry or concern about having further attacks.
Don’t Miss: Does Clinical Depression Go Away
How To Stop A Panic Attack In 20 Seconds
This post contains affiliate links. to read my affiliate policy.
Is it possible to stop a panic attack dead in its tracks, before you feel you cant breathe, your chest hurts and you think youre going to die?
I know from personal experience that when panic starts, it sure feels like theres nothing you can do to stop the terrifying experience.
But thats not necessarily true.
A panic attack can be stopped dead in its tracks, and even while its happening:
Its a little CBT trick/exercise that has always worked for me and now I want to share it with you.
What Causes Sleeping Panic Attacks
Even though the panic attack is said to occur while you sleep, the idea that it’s a “sleeping panic attack” may be a little misleading. Its very difficult to sleep throughout the course of these panic attacks, and the actual attack usually wakes you up, causing significant fear and disorientation.
There are many possible causes of panic attacks, generally speaking. Often, panic attacks during the day are caused by an interaction between your bodily sensations and your thoughts. During the night, however, this might not necessarily be the trigger, given that youre somewhat disconnected from your bodily and mental processes. There are, however, additional issues that may affect those who suffer from nocturnal panic attacks. These issues include:
Recommended Reading: Does Zofran Help With Anxiety
Who Gets Panic Attacks
At least 6 million Americans suffer from panic attacks and panic disorder both conditions classified as anxiety disorders. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America , about 2-3% of Americans experience panic disorder in a given year and it is twice as common in women as in men. Panic disorder typically affects individuals when theyre in their 20s but is also seen in young children, adolescents, and older adults.
Ways To Help Stop Panic Attacks Happening Again
Read Also: How To Relax During A Panic Attack