Learning how to deal with panic attacks isn’t an easy thing to do. Anything could cause an attack, and no two people have the same triggers. It can therefore be quite difficult to discover a working solution for each unique person.

Join online panic attack support groups to find people just like you who are going through the same situation. Often they’ll share all sorts of ideas that you can be confident will work because the people posting them are living proof. So, it’s a great piece of information to help you get through the worst of times.

Can you remember any instance in which your panic attack did not end? You truly have control over your mind and body!

To distract yourself from the panicky feelings that occur during an attack, try progressive relaxation. Tense and release each muscle group from your toes to your head, and try to focus on the sensations in your muscles. This prevents you from clenching your muscles and gives you something relaxing to do as you wait for the panicky sensation to subside.

To prevent panic attacks, avoid taking on unnecessary responsibilities that will add to your overall stress level. It is important to be assertive about your needs and your limitations to prevent overloading yourself, which can make panic attacks more likely. Learning to say “no” can go a long way in preventing attacks.

After a panic attack, you will feel particularly anxious. That is why it is important that immediately after your attack you try to relax your body in several ways. You should try to implement steady breathing and full breathing to help relax your body and steady your heart beat.

Consider imagining yourself as a boxer when you have a panic attack. Create a monster in front of you that is made up of all your bad feelings and stress. Now, beat the heck out of him. Knock off his arms, legs, eyes, antennae, and every part of his body until he’s nothing but a lump of goo on the ground.

Consider picking up, “You Can Heal Your Life”, by Louise Hay and find out what the symptoms of your panic attack are telling you. The book describes each symptom and how your brain can cause it to show you that there is something going on in your life, like the fact you’re not able to discuss your feelings openly.

A silly but successful way to help get through a panic attack is to place something cold, like an ice pack or frozen food, beneath your arms in your armpits. Focus on the coolness and feel it go throughout your body. I have no idea how it works, but it does!

Think about your nerves as you go through your panic attack. Visualize a nerve in each part of your body and the tiny little impulses it sends out. Imagine them becoming calm, slow, and more relaxed. Work through each part of your body one by one until you feel better.

A useful tip for dealing with panic attacks is to change the way you live. Incorporate regular exercise into your life to eliminate extra adrenaline in the blood stream. Steer clear of smoking, drinking and processed food items, and you will stand a better chance of preventing panic attacks.

Say NO to your panic attack! When it gives you a negative thought, say NO! When it makes your heart flutter, say NO! Just keep saying NO until the feelings pass and the physical symptoms subside. If you never say “yes” or “okay” you’ll find that your attacks pass really quickly.

Consider using time scheduling software to keep tabs on your life and panic attacks at bay. This is a great way to be able to literally visualize what is going to happen to you today, tomorrow, in the next week, and beyond. Knowing what is coming at you can help you feel at ease!

Do your best to limit the amount of stimuli that you are dealing with at any given time. Your brain can only process a certain amount of information and when you try to do multiple tasks or deal with too many situations at once you will create an overload that causes an attack.

Watch your anxiety levels as if you’re a third party. Be clinical in your assessment and try to learn from what you’re seeing. Look at how your body is affected, each part one by one, and how your mind is creating the situation. Break it up as if it’s a science project and determine the cause and effect.

As a person who personally experiences the difficulties associated with serious anxiety issues, you know the signs of an impending panic attack. Your big issue may be that you cannot stop them quickly, or stop them from happening in the first instance.

Tips And Tricks To Manage Panic Attacks was originally published on Spring