Experience with anxiety teaches that it is never helpful to say “it’s only a panic attack” to somebody suffering through one. In addition to causing shortness of breath, muscle pain and vomiting, a panic attack can mimic cardiac arrest and other serious health problems. Emergency room patients are often brought to the hospital unnecessarily, honestly afraid that their unpleasant and frightening symptoms are indicative of impending death, rather than emotional distress. Being aware of the symptoms and learning how to cope with panic attacks will make it easier to stay out of the emergency room.

Before beginning to learn coping with panic attacks, it’s important to be able to recognize one. While knowing it is happening won’t make it go away, understanding that it is not a life threatening crisis will help alleviate some of your concerns The endocrine system floods the body with adrenaline, triggering a fight or flight reaction to prepare for danger. Adrenaline causes the heartbeat to speed up, reddened skin and increased perspiration. Nausea and chest pains that mimic heart trouble are often seen in anxious patients. Believing that you are ill, dying or going crazy are psychological symptoms that often accompany a panic attack.

Once you have established that you are in fact having an anxiety attack, rather than a physical crisis, find a quiet place to sit. Fighting the panic will make you feel worse, so spend a moment or two to quietly accept your feelings. In the meantime, there is no reason for shame or guilt over anxiety and are not helpful for curing panic attacks.
Without having useful tools to know how to cope with panic attacks, many people react by imagining that increasingly unpleasant things are going to happen. A patient with fears about speaking in front of strangers might worry about whether he will turn red and sweat excessively in front of an audience. After dwelling on these fears, he may go on to being afraid of being laughed at. Believe in your ability to ignore the “what if”, as these questions rarely lead you to useful information. Make a conscious choice to ignore the advice that anxiety is giving you, choosing to listen to reason instead. Acknowledge that the chances of a seated audience member many feet away is unlikely to see your flushed cheeks and moist palms, even if it seems glaringly obvious to you.

Talk to somebody you trust about your fears. If the triggers are not genuinely dangerous, take time to gradually expose yourself to them. As you do, accept that the fear is a valid expression of your emotions, but that these are not based on facts. Trust yourself to be able to work through these feelings and come out in a better place. Learning some new methods for facing your particular triggers can help you get through difficult moments. If claustrophobia is a problem, having a handheld fan to blow cool air in your face may help you learn how to cope with panic attacks.

Calm breaths are not effective for curing panic attacks, however, breathing exercises may help reduce the hormone rush that triggers them. Controlled diaphragmatic breathing that fills the lungs completely can undo some of the damage caused by hyperventilation. These breathing exercises may also help with learning the cure for blushing. Visualize your body filling with healthful oxygen as you inhale and exhale, slowly permitting your body to relax. Focusing on your breathing has the additional benefit of distracting you from dwelling on negative thoughts.

In order to be able to work on curing panic attacks, you need show patience for yourself. A full blown anxiety disorder didn’t appear without warning overnight and is very unlikely to vanish as quickly as that. Rejoice in every small step forward and accept that there will be steps backward along the way.

Please visit our website to learn more about coping with anxiety issues such as panic attacks, blushing, fear of public speaking and more.

Related posts

Tagged with: • • •

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!