How To Help Someone Who Is Having A Panic Attack

 How To Help Someone Who Is Having A Panic Attack

It can be rather unnerving knowing that you at any point in time you can go into a panic attack if things get a little too much out of your comfort zone. This article will help you recognize what is happening and what you can do to help yourself avoid them or get yourself out of them.

In the middle of a panic attack, visualize a peaceful scene. It may be hard to do this at first, but with a little practice you will be able to ride out a panic attack by visualizing a peaceful place and allowing yourself to relax until the panic attack subsides.

These days many people turn to medication to help them with their anxiety. There are several medications available that are quite effective. However, they take a while to begin to work. If you begin using medicine, you need to try to stick with the medication for the long haul.

If you take medicine to help with your anxiety, is important that you do not stop taking your medicine because you think that you are cured. If you do this, you may revert back to your old anxious ways. Try to follow through to the end of your medication period.

When you are having a panic attack think about the reason you're having one. What have you eaten today? Who did you spend time with? What were you thinking about just before it happened? Once you feel better, try to write down everything that might have affected your state of mind and led up to the panic attack and then narrow down the reasons.

Every bad feeling passes sooner or later, so try to keep that in mind when you're in the throes of a panic attack. Focus on what you're going to do when it's over, like reward yourself with a treat or take a nice, long nap. Really concentrating on the good thoughts will cancel out the bad ones.

If you understand how breathing can change your mood, you can control your anxiety. If you lengthen or slow down the speed of your exhalation, your body and mind will begin to relax. If you slow down the speed of your inhalation, you will stimulate your body and your mind.

Many people who suffer from panic attacks or panic disorder are finding relief through cognitive-behavioral therapy. In fact, studies show that as many as 80% of patients receive substantial relief from their symptoms as a result of the strategies they learn through this technique. Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps you understand the cause of your attacks and teaches you ways to alter or eliminate the negative behaviors and thought processes that lead to attacks.

When you begin to feel anxiety, make sure that you do something. Turn on the TV or start writing in a journal. Do not just sit there and let your symptoms get the best of you. When in doubt, do something to occupy your mind to you can relax a bit.

When you feel a panic attack coming on, write down what you are feeling at that time so that you can look back at them to assess what was really happening versus what you thought would happen. Many people have feelings of impending doom and death which is totally against what is happening in reality. When you look back on them at a later time, you can realize these thoughts were far off the situation.

If you can't have a pet of your own, consider asking a friend who has one if you can visit often to spend time with them. Maybe they'll let you take their dog for a walk, or groom their cat. You can do them a favor and you'll get the reward of calmness to keep your panic attacks at bay.

Dehydration is a key component to panic attacks, so make sure to drink lots of water every day, all day. During a panic attack your muscles will require more oxygen as a result of the flight or fight response your body is experiencing, so drink even more water (H2O - the "O" is for oxygen!) to keep your muscles fed.

Avoiding perfection is important when dealing with panic attacks, and you have to remember that when planning out strategies for treatment as well! Some techniques will work, others won't, but it's the fact that you're trying so hard that will lead you down the road to freedom from future attacks!

Reinforce the actions and thoughts that keep a panic attack away every single day instead of learning how to treat the attack itself. Continue to think positive things and look for ways to flood your mind with encouraging, enjoyable ideas in response to undesirable thoughts.

Is there something that you know that you can teach others? A great way to beat anxiety and say "No thanks!" to panic attacks is to occupy your time, and there's no better way to do that than helping others grow as a person. Teach dance or art, become a math tutor or a cooking instructor, just share your knowledge with others and enjoy the confidence it brings you!

You can try blowing into a paper bag if you are having trouble breathing during a panic attack. Hyperventilating causes you to release too much carbon dioxide and the paper bag will help you to gain some of it back. It will help your whole body to calm down as well.

Find successful diversion tactics when you feel a panic attack coming on. Tactics can range from getting up and walking around to grabbing a healthy snack to distract yourself from the physical symptoms. The key is to distract yourself from the feelings you are experiencing, which will either reduce the severity of or prevent the attack.

This article is full of valuable insight about panic attacks that will help you with your day to day life. Take this advice to heart and allow yourself to live your life to the fullest. You do not need to live your life on the edge worrying when your next panic attack will occur!

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