How to Control an Anxiety Attack
Over 10 percent of our population suffered or suffers from panic attacks and other anxiety related disorders. It is the second most common affliction for men, second behind alchol and drug abuse, and is the number one issue for women. The prevalency of anxiety and anxiety related issues rose during the 1980’s. As work and life in America become more stressful and demanding, the rates of panic and anxiety attacks rise accordingly, skyrocketing in the 1980’s. Increasing numbers of people are experiencing instances of panic attacks, not necessisarily recurring. One third of Americans experienced some sort of panic episode in the last year, situationally related to the economy, work situations (including layoffs or increased workloads due to company cutbacks or employee abuse), speaking in public, exams, a first date, and many other situations related or associated with panic and anxiety.
Panic attacks can come on rapidly and unexpectedly and go away within about 15 minutes or so. Some last as long as an hour and a half or more, it varies from individual to individual. If you have a history of panic and/or anxiety attacks, you usually know your triggers, such as being in open crowded places, public speaking, etc. and can take preventative measures to either avoid the situation, deal with it, or take any prescribed medication to reduce the intensity.
If you suffer from panic and anxiety attacks, remember that you are not alone by any means. Quite large numbers of the population suffer from similar experiences either on a regular basis or from time to time. An even larger number experience them sporadically or only once or twice. With panic and anxiety attacks, they are normal “emergency” reactions by our bodies to protect us from dangerous situations, the fight or flight instinct, but are more intense and exaggerated in extreme situations. The issue is that once the anxiety or panic attack is set off, it keeps going and escallating even when there is no real physical danger or circumstance. You have to learn to control or lesson it.
Some things to do to help yourself when you do experience an anxiety or panic attack are:
1) Calmly remind yourself that your anxiety attack or panic attack is a emergency response which is natural. Repeat this to yourself until you take it in and believe it.
2) Tell yourself that anxiety attack and panic attack symptoms are not fun and plesant, but they are certainly not physically dangerous, and you will make it through. Again, keep repeating this to yourself until you can internalize this.
3) This might sound obvious, but the sooner you can calm down, the sooner your anxiety attack or panic attack will subside. Do not feed your symptoms of panic, fear, and egg yourself on. Go with your feelings and allow them to be, don’t fight them, and work on being calm and trying to calming yourself down.
4) Learn some calming mediation, yoga, or self relaxation techniques and be prepaired. Practice these as often as you can, but at least a few times a week. Learn them and when you experience an anxiety attack or panic attack, begin using what you have practiced to minimize or even totally eliminate the symptoms. This will also take your mind off what triggered your attack in the first place, and reshift your focus elsewhere as well as calming your mind and body down.
5) Learn and practice deep, relaxing breathing. Breath in slowly and deeply from your nose, inhaleing all the way down into your diaphram, and slowly exhale through your mouth. Do this slowly, and repeatedly until you can regain your composure. While doing this, focus on your breathing and feel the air go into your nose, filling up your lungs, and then exhaled through your mouth. This can also take your mind away from the panic attack or anxiety attack and help you refocus as well as relax.
6) Be aware of your thoughts and feelings. If you notice that your thought patterns or frame of mind are headed in a direction that you know might lead to panic, stop and refocus, and being practicing relaxation techniques.