Don't Panic

Dealing With Panic Attacks

If you have panic attacks, it may help to comfort you that you are not alone!  You’re not even one in a million. In America, it is estimated that almost 5% of the population suffer from some form of anxiety disorder.
For some, it may be the infrequent panic attacks that only crop up in particular situations-like when having to speak in front of others, while, for other people, it can be so frequent and recurring that it inhibits them from leaving their home. Frequent panic attacks often develop into what medical physicians refer to as an anxiety disorder.
There are many ways of coping with an anxiety disorder.  Some may not work for you, but others just might.  It helps to know some of the most common coping techniques for dealing with panic attacks when they begin.

So how do you start trying to combat your panic attacks?  What if I told you the trick to ending panic and anxiety attacks is to WANT to have one. That sounds strange, even contradictory, doesn’t it?  But the want really does help push it away.
Does this mean that you should be able to bring on a panic attack at this very moment?  Absolutely not!  What it means is that when you are afraid of something Ð in this case a panic attack  it will more than likely appear and wreak havoc.  When you stand up to the attack, your chances of fending it off are much greater.
If you resist a situation out of fear, the fear around that issue will persist. How do you stop resisting you move directly into it, into the path of the anxiety, and by doing so it cannot persist.
In essence what this means is that if you daily voluntarily seek to have a panic attack, you cannot have one. Try in this very moment to have a panic attack and I will guarantee you cannot. You may not realize it but you have always decided to panic. You make the choice by saying this is beyond my control whether it be consciously or sub-consciously.

The key to overcoming panic attacks is to relax.  That’s easy to say but difficult to do.  A good way to do this is to concentrate on your breathing making sure it is slow and steady.  One of the first signs of a panic attack is difficulty breathing, and you may find yourself panting to catch a breath.  When you focus on making those breaths even, your heart rate will slow down and the panic will subside.
Breathing more slowly and deeply has a calming effect. A good way to breathe easier is to let all the air out of your lungs. This forces your lungs to reach for a deeper breath next time. Continue to focus on your out-breath, letting all the air out of your lungs and soon you’ll find your breathing is deeper and you feel calmer.