Coping With Your Panic Attack

If you are prone to panic attacks, you know that complete avoidance of panic-causing situations is not always possible. Learn out of body techniques to remove yourself from the situation and allow you to view it as if you were watching television. What would you tell yourself to do? How would you provide comfort? Often placing yourself in the role of mentor or guide trying to help someone else deal with panic issues will get you through the worst situations.

Try to look at what is happening to you during a panic attack and focus on reality. Either speak out loud or grab a pen and paper and start to clinically describe the situation at hand. Don't look at anything that is fear-related as it's probably not real anyway. Just focus on your body.

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.

Find a counselor who specializes in anxiety and panic disorders to help you manage your stress and learn to cope with attacks. Talking to a professional can help you understand the root causes of your panic disorder, and can give you a neutral outlet for solving stressful problems that contribute to your panic attacks.

When having a panic attack you can close your eyes and imagine your body as a sponge. Starting with your feet imagine ringing out the sponge and letting all the stress, tension, and fear drip out. Move up your body and ring out every part, washing away all the bad feelings, until you reach your head and feel better.

Don't keep your panic attacks a secret. Seeking help from a counselor is the best thing to do but even confiding in a friend or family member can help. A counselor can work with you to determine the cause of your attacks and advise you of the best ways of coping with them. However, any friendly ear is going to provide you with an outlet for your fears and concerns and help you realize that you're not alone.

Using tactics to distract yourself during a panic attack can help you calm down faster. Try counting backwards from 100 as quickly as you can. Work on a complex math problem. Turn on the radio, and sing along to a song that you know. Concentrate on eating an apple. Do a crossword puzzle. Anything that requires focus and clear thinking is going to help you take your mind off of your anxiety and channel it into an activity that will help you relax.

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.