honeyp1e
07-07-11, 18:20
How to control a Panic Attack
Now that you understand that a panic attack is a series of physiological and chemical responses caused when the brain 'misinterprets' a situation as life threatening, you can use this knowledge to achieve control over your panic attack so that you can either minimize it significantly, or even completely prevent it, without the use of strong drugs.
The first thing to tell yourself is that a panic attack cannot kill you. Nobody has ever died of a panic attack and you are not going to be the first one in history! While panic attacks FEEL life threatening, they are not at all dangerous. Other people may not even notice that you are having a panic attack, unless you tell them. Panic attacks feel MUCH worse than they look!
Secondly, your body cannot sustain a panic attack for long. Even if you do nothing at all, your body will adjust itself to balance oxygen and carbon dioxide levels and remove excess adrenaline from the blood stream within at most 10 - 15 minutes, but usually only a few minutes. So what you are facing is not a life threatening illness, but only a brief 'episode' of panic. Many of my clients have been significantly helped by this knowledge and find that it really makes a difference to tell themselves that "This will only last a few minutes and then it will be gone".
Thirdly (and here's where YOU can be in control!) there are two main things to work on when preventing or minimizing a panic attack. The first is preventing hyperventilation syndrome (see above). The second is preventing a buildup of adrenaline. Of the two, preventing hyperventilation syndrome is by far the most important - and so easy to do that it almost seems too simple!
To prevent hyperventilation syndrome, all you have to do, at the first sign of anxiety, is to slow your breathing down to about 10 deep breaths per minute. Breathe slowly and deeply in through your nose (try to breathe from your diaphragm rather than from your chest), hold your breath in for a few seconds and then release your breath slowly from your mouth. While you are breathing out slowly, it helps a lot to silently say (think) something calming like 'relax'. Your diaphragm is a big sheet of muscle just under your lungs at the bottom of your rib cage. To achieve breathing with your diaphragm, you must push your diaphragm down towards your navel, so that your stomach 'balloons' out, while at the same time allowing air to enter your lungs naturally. When you relax your diaphragm, it will return to its usual position and thereby expel the air slowly from your lungs. It is worthwhile practicing this technique while you are alone and relaxed, but if you find you struggle too much - don't worry! Slow, even and deep breathing will do the trick just as well. It is more important that you relax, than worrying about technique!
Once you have controlled your breathing and are more relaxed; you may find it useful to walk around a little, thereby using up some of the adrenaline in your body.
Sometimes a panic attack can creep up unexpectedly and before you know it you have all the full-blown symptoms, without even having a chance to practice your breathing. You may even wake up at night in the middle of an attack. Don't worry! Even right in the middle of a panic attack, you can begin to control your breathing - slow breath in through your nose, hold your breath for a few seconds - and then slowly release the air through your mouth, thinking 'relax' and even consciously allowing your muscles to release tension and loosen up. The first few breaths may be a little difficult, but you will soon get the hang of the slow rhythmic breathing. Remind yourself that the panic attack will only last a few minutes and that it cannot harm you. Continue the slow breathing and before long you will be feeling much better!
Learning to control the symptoms of a panic attack improves with practice. Most people find that the breathing technique alone helps almost immediately, but some people need to keep trying until it works properly. It is advisable to find about 10 - 15 minutes once or twice a day to sit comfortably in a quiet spot and practice deep, slow breathing, not forgetting to think the word 'relax' every time you breathe out and making sure that you relax all your muscles as you breathe in and out. If you do this regularly, you will not only decrease the incidence of panic attacks, but you will also increase your ability to control the panic attacks if they do occur. Many of my clients find that once they have learned to control their panic attacks, the attacks disappear altogether!
Is there anything else I can do?
There are many other things one can do to decrease the incidence of panic attacks.
The first thing to remember is that the healthier your lifestyle, the less you will suffer from panic attacks. Regular exercise is a big help - as is a balanced healthy diet and regular meals. Make sure that you get sufficient sleep - studies have shown that sleep deprivation increases the incidence of panic attacks. Avoid stimulants like alcohol, drugs, caffeine and foods high in sugar. If you suffer from anxiety and stress, try to find out the causes and take steps to address them. If you are not sure why you are experiencing anxiety, consult a professional.
Many therapists use techniques like progressive relaxation or meditation to help the client learn how to access his own calming response (everybody has one!) and to lower anxiety levels to more comfortable states. This is often combined with psychotherapy to help improve self-esteem and understand the causes of the anxiety and cognitive therapy to 'reprogram' the negative thoughts underlying the anxiety or panic.
There are also many natural products, which help and may be used alone or in combination with therapy. Regular use of(a combination St John's Wort/Passiflora capsule) can minimize anxiety and stress and improve overall mood, thereby reducing the incidence and severity of panic attacks.
Try and involve yourself in something enjoyable and fulfilling. If you are a very active person socially and career-wise, take up something relaxing like yoga or pottery. If you are withdrawn and inactive, join a club, offer your services as a volunteer, or take up a hobby or sport, which would bring you into contact with people. Taking your mind off your problems is often a big help! If you tend to take on too much, learn to ask for help!
Finally, it is important to note that most anxiety and panic disorders respond well to treatment and I would encourage anyone who suffers from these disorders to go for help. It can make all the difference to your life!
Now that you understand that a panic attack is a series of physiological and chemical responses caused when the brain 'misinterprets' a situation as life threatening, you can use this knowledge to achieve control over your panic attack so that you can either minimize it significantly, or even completely prevent it, without the use of strong drugs.
The first thing to tell yourself is that a panic attack cannot kill you. Nobody has ever died of a panic attack and you are not going to be the first one in history! While panic attacks FEEL life threatening, they are not at all dangerous. Other people may not even notice that you are having a panic attack, unless you tell them. Panic attacks feel MUCH worse than they look!
Secondly, your body cannot sustain a panic attack for long. Even if you do nothing at all, your body will adjust itself to balance oxygen and carbon dioxide levels and remove excess adrenaline from the blood stream within at most 10 - 15 minutes, but usually only a few minutes. So what you are facing is not a life threatening illness, but only a brief 'episode' of panic. Many of my clients have been significantly helped by this knowledge and find that it really makes a difference to tell themselves that "This will only last a few minutes and then it will be gone".
Thirdly (and here's where YOU can be in control!) there are two main things to work on when preventing or minimizing a panic attack. The first is preventing hyperventilation syndrome (see above). The second is preventing a buildup of adrenaline. Of the two, preventing hyperventilation syndrome is by far the most important - and so easy to do that it almost seems too simple!
To prevent hyperventilation syndrome, all you have to do, at the first sign of anxiety, is to slow your breathing down to about 10 deep breaths per minute. Breathe slowly and deeply in through your nose (try to breathe from your diaphragm rather than from your chest), hold your breath in for a few seconds and then release your breath slowly from your mouth. While you are breathing out slowly, it helps a lot to silently say (think) something calming like 'relax'. Your diaphragm is a big sheet of muscle just under your lungs at the bottom of your rib cage. To achieve breathing with your diaphragm, you must push your diaphragm down towards your navel, so that your stomach 'balloons' out, while at the same time allowing air to enter your lungs naturally. When you relax your diaphragm, it will return to its usual position and thereby expel the air slowly from your lungs. It is worthwhile practicing this technique while you are alone and relaxed, but if you find you struggle too much - don't worry! Slow, even and deep breathing will do the trick just as well. It is more important that you relax, than worrying about technique!
Once you have controlled your breathing and are more relaxed; you may find it useful to walk around a little, thereby using up some of the adrenaline in your body.
Sometimes a panic attack can creep up unexpectedly and before you know it you have all the full-blown symptoms, without even having a chance to practice your breathing. You may even wake up at night in the middle of an attack. Don't worry! Even right in the middle of a panic attack, you can begin to control your breathing - slow breath in through your nose, hold your breath for a few seconds - and then slowly release the air through your mouth, thinking 'relax' and even consciously allowing your muscles to release tension and loosen up. The first few breaths may be a little difficult, but you will soon get the hang of the slow rhythmic breathing. Remind yourself that the panic attack will only last a few minutes and that it cannot harm you. Continue the slow breathing and before long you will be feeling much better!
Learning to control the symptoms of a panic attack improves with practice. Most people find that the breathing technique alone helps almost immediately, but some people need to keep trying until it works properly. It is advisable to find about 10 - 15 minutes once or twice a day to sit comfortably in a quiet spot and practice deep, slow breathing, not forgetting to think the word 'relax' every time you breathe out and making sure that you relax all your muscles as you breathe in and out. If you do this regularly, you will not only decrease the incidence of panic attacks, but you will also increase your ability to control the panic attacks if they do occur. Many of my clients find that once they have learned to control their panic attacks, the attacks disappear altogether!
Is there anything else I can do?
There are many other things one can do to decrease the incidence of panic attacks.
The first thing to remember is that the healthier your lifestyle, the less you will suffer from panic attacks. Regular exercise is a big help - as is a balanced healthy diet and regular meals. Make sure that you get sufficient sleep - studies have shown that sleep deprivation increases the incidence of panic attacks. Avoid stimulants like alcohol, drugs, caffeine and foods high in sugar. If you suffer from anxiety and stress, try to find out the causes and take steps to address them. If you are not sure why you are experiencing anxiety, consult a professional.
Many therapists use techniques like progressive relaxation or meditation to help the client learn how to access his own calming response (everybody has one!) and to lower anxiety levels to more comfortable states. This is often combined with psychotherapy to help improve self-esteem and understand the causes of the anxiety and cognitive therapy to 'reprogram' the negative thoughts underlying the anxiety or panic.
There are also many natural products, which help and may be used alone or in combination with therapy. Regular use of(a combination St John's Wort/Passiflora capsule) can minimize anxiety and stress and improve overall mood, thereby reducing the incidence and severity of panic attacks.
Try and involve yourself in something enjoyable and fulfilling. If you are a very active person socially and career-wise, take up something relaxing like yoga or pottery. If you are withdrawn and inactive, join a club, offer your services as a volunteer, or take up a hobby or sport, which would bring you into contact with people. Taking your mind off your problems is often a big help! If you tend to take on too much, learn to ask for help!
Finally, it is important to note that most anxiety and panic disorders respond well to treatment and I would encourage anyone who suffers from these disorders to go for help. It can make all the difference to your life!