Tips for Coping with Panic Attacks

One – If you feel panic coming on and find you are breathing rapidly, breathe slowly in and out of a brown paper bag or cupped hands. Although you may feel you can’t catch your breath, you are probably over breathing you are taking in too much – oxygen. A paper bag will help your oxygen levels return to normal.

Two – Change your lifestyle. Take regular exercise-this helps to burn off excessive adrenaline. Avoid cigarettes and alcohol. When I had attacks in the past I would put food in my stomach, it took the blood out of the brain to the stomach which helped lessen the attack.

Three – Don’t attempt to fight your way out of a panic attack – this will simply increase the adrenaline. Instead accept the feelings and that they will come and go and allow the symptoms to play their tricks as they will. Keep telling yourself they will not win and you are in control of your mind and life.

Four – Don’t hold your emotions. Find someone to confide in, such as a family member, friend or doctor. That was my mistake I never told anyone because I thought they would think I was nuts. That was 30 years ago. Things have changed so much in medicine since then.

Five – Try to focus on something outside of yourself during the attack if possible. Listen to music, run, anything that will help to wait for the attack to subside.

Six – Find relaxation techniques. It really works. Breathe slowly and deeply. Locate any area of tension and imagine them disappearing. Then, relax each part of your body, bit by bit, from the feet upwards. Just keep focusing on getting the thoughts out of your mind and displace them to other parts of your body. You will be amazed how this really helps.

Seven – Tell yourself that your symptoms are nothing more than an over-sensitized nervous system. They are only temporary feelings and are not medically harmful or dangerous... Do Not Give In To Them…or they will win.

Eight – Reduce stress in your life, or try to find out the source to eliminate them.

Nine – Try cognitive behavior therapy. You may need to get counseling to assist in this in the beginning but it actually works.

Ten – Join a self-help group. Only if you feel you need to do this. The internet provides all sorts of resources to you to find a group that will assist you in your panic attacks. Remember you are not alone in this only if you choose to do so.. I do not recommend this as if I did choose to tell my doctors, I may not have suffered for all those years..