Sunday, March 24, 2024

How To Get A Panic Attack

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How to Get Through a Panic Attack | Lifehacker

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While you might feel tired and overwhelmed after having a panic attack, its important to think about what might have triggered it, so you can better understand the situation. Once youve managed to calm and relax, think about what happened and what might have caused it. Were you out in public in a busy crowd? Were you drinking your tenth cup of coffee? Did someone say something specifically to you? There might not have been any clear trigger at all, but thats also useful information to have!

Speak Supportively To Yourself

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With this in mind, you may want to try talking to yourself about whats happening, and why its okay. When a panic attack kicks in, you may want to say, Okay, it feels like Im having a panic attack. Im going to be okay, its just anxiety and it cant physically hurt me. Itll be over in a few minutes.

Panic Attacks Can Be Frightening And May Make You Feel Like You Have No Control Over Your Circumstances

Panic attacks can be frightening and may make you feel like you have no control over your circumstances. Technically speaking, panic attacks are the sudden and intense onset of crippling fear that triggers physical and emotional reactions without the apparent presence of any direct cause or stimuli.

Panic attacks, unlike heart attacks, are not life-threatening, but they can be challenging to deal with when they occur frequently and may have a debilitating effect on your life. Frequent panic attacks are unlikely to happen unless its a chronic problem, better known as panic disorder. If you have panic disorder, you might need more interventions and must consult a psychiatrist for help.

Symptoms of a panic attack

The symptoms of a panic attack usually show up without any warning and tend to peak within a few minutes. The following are some symptoms you may experience during a panic attack:

  • Rapid heart rate or pounding heartbeats
  • Sweating without the presence of excessive heat
  • Trembling or shaking of hands and arms
  • Chills or hot flashes
  • Feeling everything is surreal or unreal

Causes of a panic attack

Issues caused by frequent panic attacks

If you have frequent panic attacks or panic disorder and leave the issue untreated, the following complications may show up in your life:

How to deal with panic attacks

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Tips For Helping Someone With An Anxiety Disorder:

  • Make no assumptionsask the person what they need.
  • Be predictabledon’t surprise the person.
  • Let the person with the disorder set the pace for recovery.
  • Find something positive in every small step towards recovery.
  • Don’t help the person avoid their fears.
  • Maintain your own life so you don’t resent the person with the disorder.
  • Don’t panic when the person with the disorder panics, but realize it’s natural to be concerned with them.
  • Be patient and accepting, but don’t settle for the affected person being permanently disabled.
  • Say encouraging words such as: “You can do it no matter how you feel. I am proud of you. Tell me what you need now. Breathe slow and low. Stay in the present. It’s not the place that’s bothering you, it’s the thought. I know that what you are feeling is painful, but it’s not dangerous. You are courageous.”
  • Avoid saying things like: “Don’t be anxious. Let’s see if you can do this. You can fight this. What should we do next? Don’t be ridculous. You have to stay. Don’t be a coward.” These phrases tend to blame the individual for the anxiety.

Try To Find Evidence For Your Fear

Pin on Panic Disorder

When trying to stop a panic attack, you need to get to the root cause of it: your fear. Many times are fears are exaggerated in our mind. Our imagination can play some terrifying tricks on us. A simple way to stop panic attacks is to first label what the situation or trigger is. For example, an upcoming wedding. Then, list your feelings such as anxious, paranoid, scared, etc. Next, name the unhelpful thoughts that youre having. For example, feeling like youre in danger, feeling like youre about to die. Then, list the facts that support your unhelpful thought.

Keep in mind they need to be facts not beliefs. You might have some weird coincidences that you can list but that wont be considered actual evidence. Then, list facts that provide evidence against the unhelpful thought. For example, maybe youre still young and healthy so you likely arent about to die. Next, provide an alternative and more realistic. Next, focus on reevaluate you how currently feel. This is the Thought Record you can fill out to help you.

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Anxiety Doesn’t Act Like This Does It

Before that first attack, I’d lived for over a decade with high-functioning anxiety. Over the years, I’d learned to recognize the “warning signals” on my own. Bouts of insomnia? Used to them. Stomach cramps, sweating, and a hand tremor that never left? All part of the furniture.

Although I’d semi-accepted these “quirks,” I did my best to ignore my anxiety. “Everyone worries,” I told myself. “I bet everyone goes through stuff like this. Don’t draw attention to it!”

It never occurred to me that my overthinking and physical symptoms weren’t normal.

What Are The Symptoms Of Panic Disorder

Panic attacks can happen in other types of anxiety disorders, too. Generally, if you have 4 or more panic attacks and if you always worry about having another, you have panic disorder. Symptoms of a panic attack may include:

  • Chills or hot flashes
  • Chest pain and other symptoms that mimic a heart attack

Panic disorder can be upsetting and disabling. An attack can last from a few minutes to an hour or sometimes longer.

The symptoms of a panic attack may look like other mental health conditions. Always see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.

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Strategy #: Slowly Inch Into Panic Situations

One client of mine had a panic attack in a spin class and not only didnt go back, but also stopped exercising entirely. She wouldnt even take the stairs. She was worried that getting her heart rate up would induce another panic attack, something she never, ever wanted to experience again.

So, to fight her panic, in addition to challenging the thought that her heart couldnt handle exertion, she also started slowly inching back into exercise and getting her heart rate up a little at a time. First, she jogged a few steps, then a block, then around the block, and slowly, she got herself back to the gym.

If its a place you fear, like being worried youll have a panic attack in the middle of the grocery store, start by going in to buy one item close to the checkout lane. Next time, grab a basket and browse, deliberately taking a little longer. When thats boring, grab a cart and do a weeks worth of shopping. Dont try to rush through it and get out. Take your time. Dont move on to the next level until the current one is easy. Remember: Your brain has to get bored.

Remind Yourself That It Wont Last Forever

How to Stop Panic Attacks Part 3/3

Even though panic attacks can feel interminable, they tend to peak within about 10 minutes. Its physiologically impossible for the body to stay revved up much longer than that, says Martin Burch.

Reminding yourself that the experience is time-constrained can help you put it in context and handle it. After a panic attack, think back on it and tell yourself something like, That felt terrible, but it only lasted nine minutes. Then, bring that fact front and center if you have another panic attack. Reflecting back on a time when you did manage a panic attack can remind yourself that you have the ability to get through them, says McCabe.

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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 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 and for more information on what could help.

Being Alone With Your Thoughts

A lot of times, people tell me that they dont notice any specific situational trigger that caused their anxiousness, Forshee says. Often times, people dont realize that a trigger could simply be not having any psychological distraction, meaning, that they are alone with their own thoughts

So an anxiety attack can happen when youre laying in your own bed at night trying to get some sleep. It can even happen when youre home alone and its extremely quiet.

If you find yourself alone with just your thoughts and feelings, Forshee says its important to pay close attention to the raw content of what your automatic thoughts are. In other words, what are you really saying to yourself inside your own head? Are your thoughts solid facts or fears?

When you notice the automatic thoughts that you have early on, this provides you an opportunity to start engaging in coping skills that will help slow down that hamster wheel, she says. Turning on the TV or listening to music can be ways to cope in this situation.

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How To Deal With Panic Attacks

A panic attack is a feeling of sudden and intense anxiety.

Panic attacks can also have physical symptoms, including shaking, feeling disorientated, nausea, rapid, irregular heartbeats, dry mouth, breathlessness, sweating and dizziness.

The symptoms of a panic attack are not dangerous, but can be very frightening.

They can make you feel as though you are having a heart attack, or that you are going to collapse or even die.

Most panic attacks last somewhere from five minutes to half an hour.

Remind Yourself Youre Not In Danger

Panic Attack Symptoms and Ways To Stop

Panic attacks can feel different for everyone, but its not unusual to wonder if youre experiencing something serious, such as a heart attack or overdose, especially if youve never had a panic attack before.

The fear that happens with a panic attack is perfectly real. The threat, however, isnt, and reminding yourself that the panic will pass can help you start to calm down.

You might certainly experience some unpleasant symptoms after ingesting too much cannabis, but this scenario .

Calming exercise

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How To Direct Your Breath

  • Start by breathing slowly and purposely.This will counteract the shallow breathing characterized by most attacks.
  • If possible, place your hands on your stomach and fill your belly with breath. When you inhale, you will feel your center rise and expand.
  • As you exhale, it will then contract inward. These deliberate breaths will assist in soothing your body and mind.

It may also be helpful to count each breath. Such as counting your first full breath in and out as one, the next breath in and out as two, and so on. This will not only help you breathe better, but it will also help you feel calmer by giving your mind something to focus on.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Is 70 To 90 Percent Effective As A Treatment For Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is one of the most treatable anxiety disorders. The prevailing treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy . A new offshoot of CBT, known as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy , has also been found effective in treating panic disorder. Psychologist Steven Hayes developed ACT in part as a way to treat his own panic disorder. This form of therapy uses acceptance and mindfulness techniques to change how you relate to your physical sensations of anxiety and anxiety itself.

CBT is an incredibly effective treatment for panic disorder. Seventy to ninety percent of people who undergo CBT will get better, says Gruner.

A key part of CBT in treating panic is a method called interoceptive exposure, in which the person deliberately confronts the unpleasant physical sensations that are causing anxiety. People become more sensitive to these sensations because they fear and avoid them, so facing the sensations and learning that they are not dangerous can lower anxiety sensitivity.

CBT sessions are usually conducted on a weekly basis and last for around 12 to 16 sessions. The treatment tends to show long-lasting results, and relapse is uncommon.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are also often used to treat depression and anxiety disorders, with or without CBT. These drugs can be effective, but CBT has been found to be a longer-lasting treatment than SSRIs.

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What Causes Panic Attacks At Night

Experts dont know why some people experience panic attacks. Something affects how your brain and nervous system perceive and process fear and anxiety. Most panic attacks happen during the day, usually when a nonthreatening situation triggers a panic response. Similarly, nocturnal panic attacks dont have a basis in the situation.

Practice Muscle Relaxation Techniques

How to help your friend during a panic attack – BBC

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During a panic attack, you may find that your body tenses up and you might even be in physical pain with your stomach in knots, your shoulders tight and hunched and everything feeling a little constricted. Practising muscle relaxation techniques in general could help you to better control your bodys physical response to an attack.

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Can You Prevent Nocturnal Panic Attacks

These steps may lower your risk of having panic attacks:

  • Eat a healthy diet, cut back on caffeine and exercise regularly.
  • Find healthy ways to manage stress, like meditation, tai chi or calling a friend.

Talk to your healthcare provider before taking herbal supplements or over-the-counter medications. Certain ones can heighten anxiety.

Breathe Out Slowly Through Your Mouth

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You should then try to exhale just as slowly through your mouth, focusing on controlling the breath in a steady exhale and paying attention to your chest deflating as you breathe. Even if you cant go for a very long breath, just try to do it as slowly as you can with letting the breaths get short and quick.

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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.

Choose A Happy Place That You Can Go To During Attacks

THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF PANIC. A panic or anxiety attack can grab you ...

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Prepare a happy place in advance so you immediately know where to take your mind when a panic attack strikes. This happy place should be very relaxing and calm, so it could be an empty beach with the gentle waves, or a private cabin in the mountains. It could be anything that helps you to feel at ease. You can then go there in your mind during feelings of anxiety.

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How Are Panic Attacks Different From Anxiety

It’s easy to see why panic attacks and anxiety get confused, as they share many symptoms. In my case, the sweating wasn’t anything new. Other signs, like an upset stomach, nausea, and trembling, were also familiar.

But while anxiety produces more of a gnawing worry, a panic attack is rapid and violent. It’s impossible to ignore.

My symptoms looked like these:

  • A pounding heart
  • Hyperventilating
  • Feeling the need to void my bowels
  • Excessive sweating

Anxiety feels more like a series of paper cuts. It causes damage with each slice, but there isn’t enough pain to grind things to a halt. Whereas my first panic attack was like a sledgehammer to the gut.

I’ve also learned that my anxiety usually has an identifiable trigger and lingers. I may be dwelling on something that causes pressure to ramp up. Or I’m expected to do something I’m uncomfortable with. For example, knowing I have to do a presentation at work can cause countless sleepless nights. Acute periods of anxiety can last for months.

Panic attacks, on the other hand, swoop in and only last a few minutes.

What Are The Complications Of Panic Disorder

As the panic gets worse and an attacks last longer, you may find it very tough to cope with everyday life, keep a job, or function in social settings. You may fear going into places where it may be hard to escape or you feel trapped. Some people can’t leave their home for fear that help is not available or that he or she will be forced into a situation that will trigger an attack.

People with this condition may also abuse alcohol or drugs to relieve stress.

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