What to do after a panic attack?

[julia241977]

I don't get panic attacks very often, and I just had one last night (the first one I've had in over a year). The whole thing left me pretty shaken up/freaked out, and I'm still dealing with those emotions a little bit, in addition to some lingering anxiety from the attack. I've been in a pretty okay place with my anxiety lately, so this was really unexpected.

How should I cope? What strategies help in situations like this?

[BlueIris]

The only thing I've ever found really helps is faking it til I make it - pretending everything is normal even though I feel as though I'm dying inside.

It can take a while (and it really helps to have an audience of family or colleagues to fake normality in front of) but sooner or later I start fooling myself everything's okay as well. Oh, and be kind to yourself; panic attacks cause some fairly strong physical reactions and there's nothing wrong with needing time to recover.

[Carys]

Accept it, don't fear it - if they happen now and again, ces la vie.

See if you can learn what the triggers were that led to it.

Focus on the fact that nothing happened to you, panic attacks don't kill people.

[Darksky]

For me it's just time.
I feel like I'm walking on eggshells for days after, scared I suppose of disturbing the sleeping monster that's just gone.
The wrong attitude I know, but a lot if our problems are based on fear of another attack.

all I do, is get back to normal asap and give myself time. PAs are exhausting and take a lot out of you physically and mentally. You need time to get over them.

[Pkstracy]

I sleep, I draw, I read, I color, eat comfort foods, curl up in bed petting my cat while binge watching tv shows on Hulu or netflix.