How do you handle a panic attack?
Thursday, January 7th, 2010 at
8:37 am
Big Cheese asked:
That’s it. How do you handle a panic attack?
Filed under: Panic Attacks
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I have panic attacks as well, or at least I used to have them until I finally learned to control them. With mine, I can always tell when one is getting ready to hit me. I get a tingling in my legs, then in my stomach. That’s when I get that feeling of dread and that I need to flee the situation. I used to take antianxiety meds for this, but I hate taking drugs so….this is what I finally did.
Everytime I feel that feeling that I mentioned above start to happen, I instantly slow my breathing down, very slow deep breaths through my nose, and exhale very slowly out my mouth. I do this over and over until I feel the panic attack start to ease up a bit. I have also learned to “embrace” these, because I figure that if I can’t beat them, may as well join them. I let the feeling that I have which is (during a full blown attack) I get a very cold feeling starting in my feet, move up my legs into my chest to my head. (the chest part is the hardest to control as that involves the fast heart rate) then what happens to me next is a very warm sensation will start in my head, move down to my chest and finally end up to my feet where it first started. This warm sensation is quite soothing to me now. It takes years of practice, and may not work for others, I just know that it works for me and I don’t take any antianxiety medication anymore. Just try this, and see if it helps even just a little. Good luck, I know panic attacks are horrible.
increase “B” vitamins. Do deep breathing. get more exercise.
you breathe into a brown paper bag
Klonopin works pretty well.
divert attention to sumthing else.
take deep breaths…
Get busy doing something else. It can be as simple as loading the dishwasher, taking a walk around the yard, making a phone call to a friend. These simple things distracts your mind from the attack and you will feel better very shortly by not staying focused on the scary feelings and sensations associated with a panic attack.
Lowering caffeine, getting enough sleep and good nutrition in the big picture will help them stay away
If the person is breathing too fast they will not get enough o2 co exchange. They will start to feel tingly in there fingers and possiably other parts of there body. May feel light headed as well. Just let them continue to hyper ventilate. they will pass out and regain normal breathing. I see this all the time and we just let them pass out then they are okay.
In an emergency, if the person cant breath, USE A VENTOLIN asthma puffa. four puffs, four minute wait, four etc. Also get them to breath into a paper bag, it prevents hyperventilation.
I went through a bad time when a panic attack was pretty much a constant occurence. I was shaking n dropping everything and i had constant asthma, could hardly breath. I was using my puffa, trying calming methods and even took calmative medication, but honestly nothing really worked until I took care of the actual CAUSE of the anxiety. As soon as I delt with the problem and came to terms, I could move on and all the symptoms stopped. but this is for long term problem obviously. some people have a condition and need to take medication to calm them down. some people take low dosage sleeping pills (on prescription) for this purpose.
Short term you need to know emergency proceedures, especially just getting the person to breath!! (but not hyperventilate) slow calm breaths.
Also getting them to lay down, decrease heart rate. putting them in a warm bath can relax the muscles.
I also have occasional panic attacks.
Things to do:
1. Remind yourself repeatedly until you can really believe that your panic attack is a natural – emergency response and you will not turn in to a shaky, flaky weakling who is about to pass out any minute. Your whole system is in high gear. You are actually stronger, faster, and quicker. Believe it.
2. Constantly repeat to yourself that panic symptoms no doubt are unpleasant, but they are not dangerous.
3. Know that just as you have a natural emergency response, so you have a natural “calming response.” Yes, you can learn to calm yourself out of a panic attack.
4. Unpleasant symptoms of an anxiety/panic attack can be brought into control in just five minutes if you start calming down and do not pump more adrenaline in your blood by “panicking” about the panic attack.
5. Do not “fight” with the symptoms of a panic attack. Try to “flow” with the symptoms and allow yourself to become calm.
6. Learn a relaxation technique and practice it daily at least two or three times for 15 to 20 minutes each time. There are many self taught methods of relaxation available on tapes and books.
7. Learn to breathe from your diaphragm. Learn how the body breathes and how your abdomen, ribs and chest are involved in breathing. Try to breathe from your diaphragm all the time or as much time as you can by paying steady attention to your breathing.
8. Learn to notice the advance signs of an anxiety attack before it becomes severe. Step up on your relaxation to bring about the calming response.
9. In a panic or anxiety attack, start breathing slowly, through your nose, and allowing your diaphragm to take part in breathing.
10. Say silently inside your head something reassuring and calming, such as, “I am becoming calm….It will take a few minutes. .. .I can handle it as I have handled it before. . .I am calm and steady. “
i try to imagine im somewhere else. or think of a happy time or if its real bad call a friend i try to hang out with someone. i have them everyday
Ask you doctor for 2 mg. xanax four times a day.
Here are some tips on “How to Stop a Panic Attack”
Start breathing deeply – in through the nose, out through the mouth.
Think relaxing thoughts, and again, while breathing in, think “Relax,” and
then breathe out.
Maybe if you just try to relax your muscles. Tense both shoulders, hold
for 10 seconds, then release. Try it again.
IF the adrenaline is really pumping through your system, your body is
tingling with uncomfortable sensations, and now the dreaded feeling of losing
complete control engulfs your emotions. No one around you has any idea of the
sheer terror you are experiencing. For them, it’s just a regular day and
another frustratingly slow line at the grocery store.
You realize you are out of options. It’s time to run. You excuse yourself
from the line looking embarrassed. There is no time for excuses—you need to be
alone. You leave the supermarket and get into your car to ride it out alone.
It’s important to realize that these anxiety attacks are very real to
the people who are having them and they should never be pushed off to the side.
Please remember there is hope for you and there are many ways to overcome Panic
Attacks and Anxiety.
Another great method you can use to stop these attacks is to learn when
it is happening, and then immediately pick something up and focus all of
your attention on it. Start to describe the object to yourself. Tell yourself
how it looks, feels, what color it is, etc. Alternatively, you can get into
knitting. Knitting requires all of your attention and with all of the soft
yarns available it will feel great in your hands as well.
There are many things you can do to trick your mind out of having a
anxiety attack. There are panic attack and anxiety treatment options online
that are designed to trick your mind out of experiencing a Panic Attack and
they do a really great job.
When you are able to stop panic attacks before they start, you will
never have to worry about being in a social situation where you are
panicking ever again.