Panic Attacks: What they are and how breathing can help - Part 2
Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes
Last week we discussed panic attacks - what they are and how various breathing techniques can help.
If you missed it, be sure to check it out.
If you, like one-third of Canadians, have ever experienced a panic attack, you know how frightening they can be and how beneficial it can be to breathe through an attack.
But did you know that there are also other things you can do to help? With the right know-now, you may even be able to stop a panic attack in its tracks!
The following are six actionable strategies you can employ should you ever have a panic attack or feel your stress levels starting to spiral out of control.
Step away physically:
If you find yourself in a situation that is starting to become too overwhelming, a good strategy is to remove yourself (physically) from that situation if at all possible. Stepping away may even help you avoid a panic attack.
After leaving the situation, work to calm your nervous system. This time would be a great time to practice any breathing techniques discussed in last week’s blog post.
Other ways to help you decompress and let things go can include stepping outside to get some fresh air, going for a little walk, spending time with your pet, taking a hot bath, or doing anything that you find relaxing and calming. Regardless of what you do, remove yourself from the situation first, then work to calm yourself.
Visit your happy place:
Sometimes, it’s impossible to step away or remove yourself from a situation physically. Or, if you can, you may be able to do little more than that. Stepping away may be all that your body can handle.
In these cases, I suggest you try something called “mental distancing” or visiting your happy place.
This involves creating an imaginary safe space in your mind and allowing your mind to take you there. It can be any place, as long as you feel safe, comfortable, and relaxed there.
Imagine yourself on a quiet mountain top, floating peacefully down a river, or laying in the tropics on the hot sand - anywhere that makes you calm and happy.
To make things more impactful, when you visit your “happy place” in your mind, use your senses to focus on the details surrounding it. Feel the warmth of the sun on your face or the granules of sand between your fingers. Smell the ocean or air around you. Listen to the sound of birds chirping or leaves rustling in the wind. Watch the waves lap along the shore or see the palm trees swaying in the breeze.
Trying to mentally take yourself there and feel your surroundings can allow you to escape from an escalating or stressful situation mentally.
This type of visualization can be just as effective in helping you avoid a panic attack or emotional breakdown as physically removing yourself from the situation.
Find a focus object:
Another strategy that can help if you have a panic attack is to find and focus on one object.
Pick one object in your surroundings and focus only on that one object, consciously noting everything possible.
Start with the object in general, then focus in on every little detail. If the first thing you spot is a tree, notice the tree, its shape, and size. Then start focusing on the branches, how crooked the trunk is, all the knots in the wood, the leaves and their colour, how the leaves wave with the wind, the ants meticulously marching up and down the trunk, and so on. Touch is also a key element in grounding yourself into the present moment.
The more minute the details you can spot, the easier it will be to refocus your attention away from a possible panic attack and toward all the details of your chosen focus object. Hopefully, in doing so, your symptoms will subside.
Repeat a mantra:
Similar to finding a focus object, repeating a mantra can have the same effect.
A mantra can be any sound, word or phrase that resonates with you. [1] Repeating your mantra can provide reassurance and give you something to hold onto during a panic attack. It might also induce a trancelike state to help move your mind away from stress and towards relaxation.
The mantra you choose may be a single word like “calm” or “relax” that you repeat to yourself. It could also be a simple phrase like “This too shall pass” or “Let it go.” Whatever mantra you choose, it should resonate with you, speak to you personally, or be reflective of what you need at the moment.
Repeat it in your head over and over until your nervous system starts to relax, and you feel the panic attack subside.
Ground yourself:
Grounding yourself in the moment can also be a helpful strategy. There are several different grounding techniques you can try when you need to calm down quickly. One of them is the 54321 method. [2]
In this method, you use all 5 of your senses to help yourself calm down, by focusing your attention on:
5 things in your surroundings you can see
4 things around you that you can feel
3 things surrounding you that you can hear
2 items in your environment you can smell
1 thing you can taste
Because taste may be hard to identify at the moment, you can think of anything pleasant to taste instead.
Focusing on your five senses using this grounding technique can help you focus on the moment, ground yourself in your surroundings, and avoid a panic attack.
Understand what is happening
Finally, as mentioned in last week’s post, the first time you experience a panic attack, it can be terrifying because you don’t know what is happening to you. Thankfully, the sensations you experienced eventually eased then passed.
Once you understand that what you experienced was a panic attack, you can use this knowledge to start adopting some new healthy habits to get your body back to a more balanced state. Doing so can enable you to recognize the next time a panic attack is about to hit so that you can stop it in its tracks!
If you find yourself in a moment of stress, fear, or panic that you fear may be building up to a panic attack, STOP and recognize what is happening. Remind yourself that you have survived every scary symptom and attack in the past and that this time will be no different. You will make it through this one, too.
Recognize that you are having a panic attack and start your preferred deep breathing method right away. Then add in one of the strategies presented above to help calm your nervous system.
You may not be able to learn these strategies overnight, but the more you practice, the more natural these coping mechanisms will become. That means you will be more likely to remember what to do when (and if) a panic attack is about to strike.
All of these strategies are also great ways to reduce stress and lower cortisol levels in general. So, even if you don’t get panic attacks as a general rule, any of these strategies can be helpful in any stressful situation.
Conclusion
Panic attacks, stress, and anxiety are becoming more prevalent in our society. Dealing with them can be a challenge. Panic attacks can be quite overwhelming and prevent you from living your life to its fullest. However, if you start any of the actionable coping strategies mentioned above, you may stop an attack before it takes control.
As always, I welcome your thoughts and value your feedback. Please let me know what you think by dropping me a line or commenting below.
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