Four Tools To Help Manage A Panic Attack
People often use the terms “anxiety attack” and “panic attack” interchangeably but in reality, they are very different.
If you have experienced the debilitating intensity of a panic attack, you’re familiar with the distress one can cause and the lingering worry that accompanies its passing.
While anxiety has roots in future-oriented worry and manifests as more low-level distress of extended duration, panic attacks are acute, coming on quickly and often without a specific reason. Everyone experiences their own unique cluster of symptoms during a panic attack including both physical and emotional distress.
Physical Symptoms of a Panic Attack
Rapid heart rate
Throbbing heart
Shallow breathing
Shortness of breath
Hyperventilating
Throat tightness
A sensation of being choked
Nausea
Stomach pain
Chest tightness or pain
Sweating, chills, or hot flashes
Emotional Symptoms of a Panic Attack
An impending sense of doom or general distress
Destabilizing fear
Body dissociation
Feeling detached from self
A feeling of dread or that death is imminent
The feeling you are going insane out of control
Feeling stuck or trapped or as though you can’t move
Feeling tearful or like you need to or can’t stop crying
While the sudden onset can leave you feeling powerless in the experience, there are actually tools you can cultivate to help you through the experience. Mercifully, panic attacks have a much shorter duration than general anxiety attacks, typically lasting between 5 and 20 minutes.
4 Tools to Manage Symptoms of a Panic Attack
Breathe deeply:
The feeling of hyperventilating that many experiences during a panic attack can lead to greater fear and exacerbate panic symptoms. Rather than allowing your breathing to speed up and raise your heart rate even more, you can choose to get control over your breaths. Taking slow deep belly breaths can help slow your heart rate and racing thoughts.
Start by placing your hand on your stomach so you can feel your belly rise as you inhale through your nose. Hold for as long as you are comfortably able and slowly release the breath through your mouth. With each intake of breath, notice your heartbeat slowing and your symptoms easing. Practice this form of mindful breathing even when you are not experiencing an attack to train your body and your mind on how it feels to breathe normally. This practice will help you find your breath with greater ease in the grip of a panic attack.
2. Ground into reality:
A preoccupation with the symptoms of a panic attack can actually make them worse or prolong the episode. It’s important to get out of your head and shut down spiraling thoughts that are triggering somatic distress.
Simply focusing attention on a single object can be useful.
For example, if you grab an orange and can focus on the weight of the orange in your hand and how the skin feels to your fingers. Begin to peel the orange and consider how it smells and how the juice feels. What does it sound like to separate the peel from the fruit? Take a bite and focus on the tastes and sensations in your mouth.
Similarly, some people choose to use a 5-4-3-2-1 technique where you look at your environment and notice 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste (or any order of those senses that works for you).
3. Practice Releasing Control
It might sound counterintuitive but simply trusting that your body knows what it’s doing and is not in imminent danger can help the attack pass more quickly.
This might feel impossible in the terrorizing moments during a panic attack. However, if you can accept what is happening, trust that you are safe, and ride the waves of panic as they roll over you, the symptoms can often pass more quickly. Remind yourself that although the symptoms are distressing, they are normal responses to anxiety and fear. You are not in actual danger.
Most importantly, don’t talk down to yourself at the moment. Panic attacks can be terrifying and you are managing them the best you can so be gentle with yourself. Encourage yourself that you will get through this and try to avoid alarming self-talk that might make your symptoms worse.
4. Reach Out For Support
It can be terrifying to find yourself alone during the onset of a panic attack. The swirling thoughts or feelings that you are dying or going crazy can spiral as you struggle to convince yourself that you will be okay.
It’s useful to have a friend or family member on call who is familiar with your situation and can support you. This person can talk through the symptoms you are experiencing and help ground you in the reality that you are and will be safe.
Aftermath of a Panic Attack
Whether you’ve experienced only one episode or have had several panic attacks of increasing frequency, there is a lasting impact after an attack. Many people feel anxious or tense anticipating the onset of another panic attack which can lead to avoidance of places, situations, or activities associated with the attack.
While it’s smart to track your possible triggers and consider if they influenced the onset of a panic attack, remember that panic attacks generally do not have an identifiable trigger so avoidant behavior isn’t particularly useful. Rather, it can lead to a domino effect or self-fulfilling prophecy where a panic attack happens where or when you anticipate it to.
The long-term prognosis for panic attacks is actually very hopeful.
Panic disorders can be treated and even cured and panic attacks are one of the most treatable anxiety disorders. Consider these steps to address your panic attacks long-term.
Practice deep breathing, mindfulness, and somatic awareness when not in the grip of a panic attack to become more aware of bodily sensations and feel an imminent attack. Think of this as similar to working out to strengthen your body. The more you practice mindfulness and calm breathing when not in the midst of an attack, the more readily you can utilize these tools during the onset of one.
Explore relaxation techniques such as massage, tapping, acupressure, and meditation to lessen overall anxiety and stress which exacerbate panic symptoms.
Consider working with an online therapist to address thoughts that might trigger panic attacks. Talking to a therapist who has a focus on treating anxiety disorders can help to lessen the frequency, intensity, and duration of attacks.
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