Practical Steps You Can Take If You Have Panic Attacks

By Paul Jonnes

What are some practical steps you can do when you are diagnosed to have panic attacks?

1) Reminding Yourself You Will Survive

If you were diagnosed to have panic attacks, chances are you have already experienced it at least once. So you know that you will feel terrible, out of control and almost as if you were having a heart attack. However, it is important to first understand that this feeling will past. While panic attacks can give you discomfort, they are usually just that and nothing more. Panic attacks alone will not kill you, and it is important for you to tell yourself that, before, during (especially) and after a panic attack strikes.

The key is to try your best to calm yourself during a panic attack; this sounds obvious but is essential. By telling yourself the terrible sensation will past and you will survive it, you give yourself practice for the case of the real event.
3 things you can remind yourself:

Panic attacks will not cause heart attacks

Although you may feel breathlessness during panic attacks, you will not stop breathing and die from it.

Panic attacks will not cause you to go insane.

2) Breathing

One of the signs when you experience a panic attack would be difficulty in breathing, hyperventilating and tightness feeling in your chest. When this happens, you need to be focusing on your breathing.

First instead of taking quick short breaths (hyperventilating), take slow long deep breaths. Ensure that when you take in a breath, your abdomen rises and falls and it is not your chest that expands and contracts. Maintaining long deep breaths encourage you to calm down and relax yourself which is the goal we are trying to reach.

Again, practising this during normal times allow you to "remember" what to do when panic attack strikes.

3) Focus On Other Things, Keeping Your Mind Busy

It helps to keep your mind and body busy and focus on thinking and doing other things than the situation you are in. When you find yourself drifting into more and more negative thoughts, occupy yourself by finding something else to do.

4) Speak To A Friend, Family And Loved Ones

If there is someone that you know or trust, speak to him or her when you feel anxiety arising. Let them comfort you, hold your hand. This will help you feel more relaxed and less likely to suffer a panic attack.

5) Health and Fitness

When your body healthy and fit, then it is much less likely you will get often panic attacks. Keep a regular exercise schedule and if you can, find someone to join you in your routine workouts.

If possible, stay away from smoking, alcohol, caffeinated beverages and foods as all these can increase stress and hence the risk of panic attacks.

A healthy lifestyle can prove to be more useful in controlling anxiety and panic attacks than some may think.

6) Do not feel embarrassed

Remember that it is not your fault that you suffer from panic attacks. There are many others just like you. In the US there is more than 3 million suffering from this disorder, proof it is much more common than you think in the general population.

Please note that the above are suggestions for your general information and knowledge. They are and should not be viewed as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatments for panic attacks given by your doctors or therapists.

Paul Jones has great interest in the topic of Panic Attacks. If you wish to find out more information on panic attacks, what it is and how it can be treated without medication and expensive treatments, you NEED to visit HERE.

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