Self Help for Panic Attacks: Get Your First Taste of Control

by Longevitybabe on February 7, 2010

Having anxiety panic attacks are very scary and what is even scarier is not to know the very basic steps self help for panic attacks. Thus, what I will do is share the basics of self help for panic attacks as well as provide some information about calming anxiety. In that way, you may know when you are having the attack and what to do to stop that from happening. There are 3 types of symptoms, which you must know about and they are perpetual, mental, as well as physical signs or symptoms.

Know the  Symptoms Of Anxiety Attacks

After experiencing panic attack, most of the people have extreme mental symptoms. Symptoms may leave you think irrationally or else having a racing thoughts. You will have some thoughts of things of not being real, and you feel as if you are going insane, and you have views about the bad things that are happening.

Whenever you are experiencing panic attack, your perception, and world is altered. You might experience the tunnel vision, feeling of dissociation, and your senses may heightened, and perceived speeding-up and slowing down of your time.

Symptoms of  Anxiety Attacks:  Miserable but Not Dangerous

This symptom is most common of other signs and they are most recognizable. Symptoms of anxiety attacks are increase in the heart rate and feeling of tightness in chest and stomach. Tightness in chest might lead to the heart palpitations, hyperventilation, headaches, and dizziness. Tightness in stomach might lead to stomach pains or nausea.  Get your heart checked out.  In all likelihood, there’s nothing wrong with your heart.  But if you have had a recent EKG, then it boosts your confidence in your efforts at self help for panic attacks.

Self Help for Panic Attacks Step 1

The first step in self help for panic attacks is to actively talk to yourself about the fact that they symptoms of anxiety attacks will not kill you.    Most less severe or less recurrent attacks that are submitted to emergency rooms are been recommended to breath in the paper bags in order to help and boost carbon dioxide levels in body. You don’t have to wait for the ER doctor to remind yourself that the symptoms are not fatal.  Some other panic attacks that are caused by underlying emotional problem such as depression, alcoholism as well as drug addiction are frequent in the people having panic disorder. Underlying problem required to get treated before total panic disorder is totally or partially eliminated.

Anxiety attacks can greatly effect the way a person lives and performs daily tasks. Somebody that suffers from anxiety disorders could spend their time worrying when they will have their next attack. They may develop phobias that never existed before, such as fear of crowds, the outdoors, or any other public location where an attack could occur. In very severe cases of anxiety disorder, the people are so afraid or even embarrassed to leave they homes.

Awareness is the most important weapon to combat panic attacks because when you feel or know that you are under an attack, it is much easier for you to counter the effects of the symptoms that go along with it. Remember this: panic attacks can happen to anyone. It can happen to stressed and depressed person as well as happy and healthy ones. It can happen without warning, without any apparent reason.

Self Help for Panic Attacks Step 2

Observe and track the specific symptoms.  Chemical imbalance in the body (low serotonin and low progesterone levels) can trigger an attack. And while there are so many studies that suggest some causes of panic attacks, understanding all the causes is not what you need to know at first.  That comes later when you’ve learned how to lose some of your fear of having a panic attack.

For most many people, there is no easy telling whether or not they are experiencing a panic attack during the moment of attack since it is difficult for them to rationalize things and to differentiate what is real from the unreal. Self help for panic attacks requires that you grab hold of your thoughts ABOUT what your are feeling.  Know the symptoms of anxiety attacks: heartbeat or palpitation, chest pain, hyperventilation or shortness of breath, stomach churning, upset stomach, trembling and shaking, muscle tension, sweating, dizziness and light-headedness, hot or cold flashes, tingling sensation or numbness, fear of dying, going crazy or losing control and feeling detached from the surroundings. Take note that people react to triggers differently, thus symptoms may vary from person to person.

Self Help for Panic Attacks Step 3

Practice deep breathing. Deep breathing during an attack is the most effective way to reduce the symptoms you are experiencing as well as divert your attention from the fearful thought. Breathe in deeply for 4 slow counts, then exhale for 4 slow counts, “one-thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three, one thousand four.”

Finally, it’s important to know that there are classes that actually guide you through the steps for self help for panic attacks.

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