Get Outside And Take In Fresh Air During A Panic Attack
Nature is healing and calming to the mind, body, and soul. Many people lose their grounding when panic shakes them to the core. So, getting outside and breathing in some fresh air can help immensely.
Many folks also experience trouble breathing and claustrophobia type feelings during anxiety, so being in the great outdoors tends to de-escalate these sensations. Grounding yourself can help to stop an attack too. Take your shoes off and feel the earth between your toes.
The vibrations from the core of the Universe can be very calming to someone who feels off balance.
Learn About Panic Attacks And Anxiety
Knowledge is power. With more information about panic attacks, you can be aware of your symptoms, feel more in control, and shorten your attacks.
While many people experience a panic attack just once or a few times, others experience them as part of an existing anxiety disorder. Learning about anxiety can help you better manage it.
How A Panic Attack Affects The Body
A panic attack can be frightening for the person going through it, and the experience isnt much easier for those who see it happen to a loved one. A panic attack is a sudden and sharp rise in fear or anxiety accompanied by physical symptoms, such as an increased heart rate and shortness of breath.
If you dont understand what its like to experience a panic attack, it may be hard to lend a hand or even feel compassion for an anxious family member who is dealing with one. Read on to learn about the physical symptoms that accompany an attack and preventive measures you can utilize to help others cope.
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Try Some Herbal Supplements
Knowing you should relax is one thing, but being able to do so is something entirely different. So if you need a little extra help chilling out, you might want to try herbs such as Kava, Passionflower, or Valerian Root to help the process along. “Those three are the most effective herbs for relieving anxiety,” noted an article on CalmClinic.org. Just be sure to check with your doctor first.
What Triggers A Panic Attack
Finding the source of your panic is not always cut and dry. Something that is known to bring them on includes:
- Significant loss
- Fearful nature
- Genetics
Some folks may experience panic after the death of a loved one, but others have dealt with them since childhood. In some instances, the key issue can be uncovered, and you can work on a resolution. If your anxiety comes alongside physical pain, then getting the pain under control can help to ease panic too.
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Take Some Deep Breaths
A panic attack can really affect your breathing, so you might feel lightheaded or out of breath post-attack. If so, deep breathing can really come in handy. “Once you notice that your symptoms are lessening, begin to breathe slowly and purposefully,” Star suggested. Breathe in and hold, and then breathe out slowly. It’ll help your body return to normal.
Panic Disorder Treatment And Prognosis
Treatment for panic disorder will usually include a combination of talk therapy, medication, and holistic healing practices like massage therapy, hypnotherapy, yoga, meditation, acupuncture, biofeedback, and Tai Chi, which are highly effective against stress and anxiety.
Panic disorder treatment plans often include extensive use of cognitive-behavioral therapy , which has a proven ability to diminish the symptoms of anxiety over time. In CBT, patients learn to identify and change unproductive thinking patterns that inevitably reinforce rather than defuse anxious responses.
Certain types of medication can help reduce the intensity and frequency of panic attacks. Drugs commonly prescribed for panic disorder symptoms include:
- SSRIs. Antidepressants work well against anxiety, and drugs in this class of antidepressants are regularly prescribed for panic disorder sufferers. Specific medications approved for panic disorder include Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft.
- SNRIs. An alternative antidepressant with proven anxiety-controlling capacities. The SNRI drug Effexor XR has been approved for use against panic symptoms.
- Benzodiazepines. These anti-anxiety medications are appropriate for short-term treatment of anxiety disorders . Benzodiazepines approved for the treatment of panic disorder include Xanax and Klonopin.
Panic disorder is an unpleasant and life-changing condition, but with continuing treatment long-term recovery is a realistic and achievable goal.
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Be Really Nice To Yourself
Above everything else, be really nice to yourself after a panic attack. Those things are mighty draining, and scary, and uncomfortable, so the least you can do is treat yourself well afterward. Take a bath, curl up with some snacks, watch your favorite movie â anything that will make you feel comfy and relaxed.
And remember, there are treatments for panic attacks. If they keep coming back, don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Images: Pexels
What Is A Panic Disorder
A panic disorder causes sudden and unexpected attacks of severe anxiety, accompanied by an array of disabling, uncontrollable physical symptoms. These attacks peak quickly, are highly intense, and may not subside until the sufferer is able to return home or to another familiar environment.
An individuals first panic disorder is confusing, frightening, and bewildering, since the extreme anxiety and powerful physical symptoms it produces will seem to come from out of the blue. Anticipating future attacks, panic disorder sufferers will make a great effort to avoid exposure to potential triggers. But this strategy seldom works for long, as panic symptoms tend to occur in a broad and ever-expanding range of contexts.
The symptoms of panic disorder usually manifest for the first time in early adulthood, and may recede in frequency and intensity as a person ages. But if left untreated, panic disorder is a life-altering condition that dramatically affects the ability of sufferers to work, attend school, maintain relationships, or manage their daily affairs.
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How To Stop Panic Attacks From Occurring Or Shorten Them
If you suffer from panic attacks, stopping them should be your priority. There are several methods you can use to stop panic, and some of them may even shorten the duration of your panic attack or reduce its severity. Some examples include:
These are some quick tools that you can use to make sure your panic attacks are less severe. But the key is to also ensure that you are targeting your anxiety and looking for ways to cure it forever.
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Ways To Cope With A Long
Waves of anxiety attacks can compound and increase the feelings of helplessness that are part of panic attacks. This can make coping with a long-lasting panic attack feel impossible. A panic attack can make you feel helpless, and being unable to control the feelings of fear and dread can make the panicky feelings worse.
If you feel yourself in the grip of a panic attack, there are a few things you can do to help ease the feelings of fear and feeling trapped. Breathing techniques, such as those used in Lamaze classes, or box breathing may be helpful.
It might be helpful to reach out to friends, family, or a therapist when you feel a panic attack coming on. Some people find that using meditation techniques can help with panic attacks. For those who practice daily meditation, focusing on the sense of calm from their practice can help ease some of the fearfulness of a panic attack.
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How To Recover From A Panic Attack
by Hamza Hassan | May 14, 2020 | Social Issues |
If you have panic attacks, you know it can be a terrifying experience right after-effects that can be very hard and challenging to manage. However, by following the steps provided here at OMG Blog, definitely, you will be able to find relief and get back on your normal routine after panic strikes.
What a Panic Attack Feels Like
Imagine that you are going to work when suddenly you are overcome with feelings of fear and dread. Your heart feels like it is pounding out of your chest, causing pain in the whole of your upper body, and you have difficulty breathing. You become afraid as you start sweating and shaking. Your hands and legs feel like there are pointed needles or pins in them and you begin to feel nausea like you are just about to vomit.
You think that this cannot happen to you. You almost feel like you are watching yourself from a distance, feeling lost, and completely disconnected from surroundings and yourself as well. You pull over to the other side of the road, fearing that you will lose your control over your car or possibly come in front of any vehicle.
Just as fast as your symptoms appear, you will notice that these sensations are subsiding gradually. But even when you realize the panic attack is just over, still you feel keyed up and anxious. It takes you a while to refocus and get back on the road. The rest of your day is marked by a sense of nervousness and apprehension.
Stop and Just Breathe
About the Author
What Is A Panic Attack
A panic attack is a sudden overwhelming feeling of dread, anxiety, or fear. They can come on suddenly for no reason or can be triggered by certain phobias or fears. Most panic attacks share many common symptoms, but the one defining characteristic of panic attacks is the crippling sense of fear.
Panic attacks can happen once or twice in someones life, or they can be chronic and happen on and off for years. You may not realize youre having a panic attack at first. Some people describe the symptoms as feeling like theyre having a heart attack. The most common feeling many people have is a sense of dread and impending doom and the urge to fight or flee.
If youre experiencing a feeling of fear or dread and have at least four of the following symptoms, you may be having a panic attack. Panic attack symptoms include:
- Chills or hot flashes
- Trouble breathing or feeling like youre being smothered
- Shakiness or trembling all over
- Feeling detached from events around you or feeling like youre looking at things from far away
- A sudden sense of dread or feeling like youre dying
- Feeling like youre losing control or going crazy
- Tightness in the chest or trouble breathing
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What Are Some Coping Mechanisms In The Moment
First things first: Breathe. Youre probably hyperventilating, but stabilizing your breathing can quickly calm your bodys fight-or-flight response.
Try counting your breaths. One deep breath in, one deep breath out. Count up to 10 and then start again until your breathing is back to normal.
Other quick coping strategies include:
- recognizing that what youre experiencing is a panic attack
- finding an object to focus on
Why Consider Bridges To Recovery For Treatment
At Bridges to Recovery, we specialize in diagnosing and treating complex psychiatric and emotional issues such as panic disorder. We provide compassionate and effective care in a serene residential setting so clients can focus on their treatment and recovery without the worries of external pressures and stressors.
- Private residential accommodations. Our exclusive residential treatment homes have a maximum of six clients, providing a safe, private alternative to a more traditional hospital environment.
- World-class clinical staff. Our expert clinical team provides individual therapy using proven evidence-based treatment modalities to treat panic disorder.
- Individualized treatment plans. After a thorough assessment, we create a truly individualized treatment plan that offers profound healing and strategies for overcoming the toughest obstacles.
- Health and wellness focused. To ensure your comfort during your healing process, our chefs create delicious healthy, gourmet meals. We also offer yoga, meditation, acupuncture, massage, and physical fitness classes.
At Bridges to Recovery, we believe that exceptional psychiatric, clinical, and holistic care can transform lives. With the utmost dignity and respect, we meet you where you are to develop a vision for the life you wish to have, and offer the care you need to achieve it.
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The Anticipation Of Future Attacks Triggers Me
Due to the sudden and unpredictable nature of panic attacks, it can be difficult to make plans to venture too far from home. Anticipatory anxiety can make ordinary outings, like watching a baseball game, feel overwhelming due to intrusive thoughts about the difficulty of finding an escape route or getting caught in a crowd.
Are Panic Attacks A Mental Health Condition
Having a panic attack, or even a few, doesnt mean you have a mental health condition.
But once youve had one panic attack even if it was just the one time its not uncommon to worry itll happen again.
As a result, you might start avoiding places, situations, and people that you think will trigger another panic attack. For example, you might start changing your daily routines or stop working out or going grocery shopping.
While changes in routines and habits can sometimes be a good thing, if they start causing problems in relationships or work, it might indicate an anxiety disorder.
Also, feeling constantly anxious about having a panic attack might actually lead you to experience one.
If this avoidant behavior and high anxiety continues and you experience regular, unexpected panic attacks, you might be diagnosed with panic disorder.
But you wouldnt be alone. Its estimated that at least 6 million people in the United States alone live with this mental health condition.
If you start avoiding social events or getting out of the house altogether for fear of having another panic attack and not being able to escape, then you might receive an agoraphobia diagnosis.
But not everyone who experiences panic attacks will be diagnosed with a condition such as panic disorder or agoraphobia.
In other words, anyone can experience panic attacks without having a panic disorder or mental health condition.
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Causes & Risk Factors
It is not known exactly why some people develop panic disorder, although research suggests that various factors may be involved. Like most mental health problems, panic disorder appears to be caused by a combination of biological and psychological factors and challenging life experiences, including:
- stressful or traumatic life events
- a family history of panic disorder
- other medical or psychiatric problems.
Keep Some Black Pepper Handy
If you find yourself combating paranoia and anxiety, a simple household ingredient found in kitchens and restaurants everywhere can come to your rescue: black pepper. Many swear by the black pepper trick, even Neil Young! Just sniff or chew on a few black peppercorns and it should provide almost instantaneous relief.
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Diagnosing A Panic Disorder
Under standards established in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , a panic disorder can be diagnosed if a patient reports experiencing:
Patients will also be assessed for agoraphobia, which may develop later if it isnt present in the early stages of the disorder.
Before a diagnosis can take place, patients must be evaluated to eliminate the possibility of medical conditions or other mental or behavioral health disorders that might explain the onset of severe anxiety symptoms.
Cope With Feelings Of Guilt And Shame
Even if you intellectually understand that youre not to blame for the rape or sexual attack, you may still struggle with a sense of guilt or shame. These feelings can surface immediately following the assault or arise years after the attack. But as you acknowledge the truth of what happened, it will be easier to fully accept that you are not responsible. You did not bring the assault on yourself and you have nothing to be ashamed about.
Feelings of guilt and shame often stem from misconceptions such as:
You didnt stop the assault from happening. After the fact, its easy to second guess what you did or didnt do. But when youre in the midst of an assault, your brain and body are in shock. You cant think clearly. Many people say they feel frozen. Dont judge yourself for this natural reaction to trauma. You did the best you could under extreme circumstances. If you could have stopped the assault, you would have.
You trusted someone you shouldnt have. One of the most difficult things to deal with following an assault by someone you know is the violation of trust. Its natural to start questioning yourself and wondering if you missed warning signs. Just remember that your attacker is the only one to blame. Dont beat yourself up for assuming that your attacker was a decent human being. Your attacker is the one who should feel guilty and ashamed, not you.
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Panic Disorder And Phobias
If you have Panic Disorder, the chances are very high that you have altered your life in some significant way in an effort to prevent or avoid additional panic attacks. It is common, for instance, for people to limit their travel; to restrict their driving ; to avoid large, crowded shopping malls; and in general, to attempt to avoid any activity from which “escape” may be difficult.
Maybe you don’t avoid anything, but you do things differently than before. You might bring your spouse or support person to go to places you would previously visit alone. Maybe you do everything the same way you used to, but you go through a lot of nervous anticipation ahead of time.
These efforts to protect yourself with avoidance are often the most disabling aspect of Panic Disorder, one which leads people to give up many other pleasurable and useful activities.
Panic is actually a very solvable problem, once you’ve come to understand how it works. A good recovery, in which you’re no longer particularly bothered by panic attacks, is very attainable for most people. If you’re looking for an inexpensive guide which will take you through the recovery process, take a look at my Panic Attacks Workbook.