If you are one of the people in the world who are extremely prone to suffering from panic attacks on a fairly frequent basis, then you know how much they can hinder your daily life. And if you are one of the lucky few who do not have any first-hand experience of this situation, then you should try to take every possible measure to continue to avoid it. There are many stressful situations that we have to face in our daily lives, be it related to work or even our personal lives.
These situations can cause a great deal of overwhelm in our minds, especially if we already have a lot on our plate. Things can quickly spiral out of control. Panic attacks make you feel acutely anxious and inhibit rational thinking processes which can actually get us out of that particularly daunting situation. If you feel like this is all the description of familiar territory to you, then you have come to the right place. In this article, we will be discussing some ways through which you can try to manage these panic attacks effectively so that they do not end up severely hampering your life in any way.
- Learn Relaxation Techniques:
The best and the most effective way to deal with panic attacks is to learn some relaxation techniques. Whilst you are suffering from a panic attack, you may find it hard to breathe properly as a stress reaction. Trying to monitor and control your breathing can actually help in such a case. A technique which many people swear by is blowing the air out through the mouth whilst taking it in normally through your nose. Another way to relax is the pointed muscle relaxation technique. Focus on each separate muscle and relax it. You can also use a hot and cool pack to relax your muscles.
- Recognise The Symptoms:
Another important thing to do is to acknowledge that you are indeed having a panic attack. This eases at least some of the anxiety related to the situation as you know exactly what is wrong with you at the moment. Once you know what is happening, you can start dealing with it one step at a time. Panic attacks may not be entirely preventable, but they can at least be remedied well if you know enough about them. If you are prone to having them, then learn to recognise the things that can trigger you and try to avoid them as much as possible. Even if you can not avoid the triggers, be equipped with things to help ease your panic attack. - Have Your Release:
If it is possible at the moment when you are having a panic attack, force yourself to get outside as soon as possible. Being around nature can help you feel instantly calmer. You can also breathe in the fresh air and it can sometimes lift the tension right away. Going for a short walk can also help to put things into perspective and aid you in thinking clearly about a tough situation. Panic attacks can arise when you are feeling trapped and being outside and looking at the sky can help you feel much less claustrophobic. It is also important to remember that any situation looks way worse at first than it is so getting perspective by taking time to process it can really help.
- Focus On Comfort Things:
Among a host of many different things that you encounter on a day to day basis, there must be a chosen few which bring you the utmost comfort and happiness. These are the things that will come the most in handy whenever you are having a panic attack. Knowing and recognising what instantly eases and comforts you can take time but once you know for sure what these things are, try to make a list of them. This will be helpful in remembering them when you are feeling excessively anxious or panicked. These can be anything from pictures of your family or a moment from a favourite film. - Try Out Therapy:
If you find that your panic attacks are becoming an extremely common phenomenon, you should not ignore them. In order to fully understand why that is happening, you can opt to go for therapy. Talking to a therapist can help you to process past traumas in a healthy way. This can also be useful to deal with issues that are the underlying cause of your panic attacks in the long run. A professional may be able to gauge the best way to put you on the path of healing without shaming you for having them in the first place. - Let It Out:
Panic attacks can occur from a state of overwhelm. This can in turn arise from being bombarded with too many things to do all at once. A great way to reduce this feeling of overwhelm is to let it out. This feeling often causes frustration and builds up anxiety in us. Before it manifests in the form of a panic attack, you can try to take out your frustration. You can do it using something like a stress ball without physically harming anything else around you. You can also channel the nervous energy into sports or working out but make sure to not push too hard or injure yourself in the process.
- Surround Yourself With Supportive People:
There will be two kinds of people who you will encounter during a panic attack. One of the cohorts will be made of people who just do not understand what is happening, and the other will be people who can help you navigate through it. Make sure to seek help from the latter group of people. Recognise friends and family members who understand you and who you can call up to help you calm down in the moment of need.
Panic attacks may not be that hard to handle if you just know how to deal with them in a proper way. We hope that this article will be able to help you navigate your next panic attack or give you pointers about how to help others who are suffering from these.
