The symptoms of panic attacks can be so overwhelming that they take over your life. What you need to know is that these symptoms can be easily controlled, with proper knowledge and an open mind. In the following article, you will be given vital advice that you can use to have the upper hand over your panic attacks.
Sleep a little extra during periods of frequent panic attacks. Lack of sleep can drastically increase the likelihood of suffering an attack, and it can reduce your ability to think clearly and cope with an attack if it does happen. Try to get 8 hours of sleep each night.
Consider taking yoga classes or practicing it at home to help relax your mind and stretch out your body. It’s a great way to get your blood pumping without adrenaline in it, and it can also center you so that your mind forgets everything that is troubling or worrying it.
When suffering from a panic attack it is important to control your breathing. Many people find that their breathing becomes very rapid. You should take deep, slow breaths when you feel a panic attack approaching. This can help to lessen the intensity of your panic attack and make it more tolerable.
Making certain changes to your lifestyle can reduce your risk of having another panic attack. Panic attacks are characterized by surges of adrenalin. By engaging in regular exercise, you can safely burn off any excess adrenaline. Cigarette and alcohol use should be eliminated or severely restricted. Reduce the sugar and processed foods in your diet and eat regular, well-balanced meals. A healthy body and a healthy mind often go hand in hand.
As you use a breathing technique during a panic attack, really concentrate on your breathing. Imagine the life being breathed into your body as you breathe in, and then the toxic thoughts and feelings going back out when you breathe out. Really visualize a glowing light going in and nasty dark smoke coming out.
To prevent panic attacks at work, it is important to identify and avoid triggers whenever possible. For example, the cramped and stressful conditions of work combined with poor air quality and increased caffeine intake create an environment that is rife for panic attacks. Remember to take breaks often – especially outside – and to avoid excessive caffeine if you are already feeling frazzled.
Picture the feelings you will be experiencing after the attack, the lack of anxiety, and the return to normal feelings. Imagine yourself on the other side and how these feelings affect your well-being. Focusing your thoughts this way can relieve anxious feelings and prevent an attack or allow a current attack to subside more quickly.
Avoid alcohol. Alcohol is a natural depressant and disrupts the sugar levels in your blood, so it can be a trigger for panic attacks as well as making panic attacks worse. If you really want to have a drink or two, recognize how it will affect you before doing so.
If there is no obvious medical reason for your panic attacks, then consider seeing a therapist. In many cases, a constant sense of underlying panic or anxiety is a result of unresolved emotional issues. Speaking to a therapist can help you to pinpoint the cause of your attacks and then to work to resolve it.
Consider buying self-help CDs for your car to keep anxiety and panic attacks away. You can also try calming music, just ensure that you’re paying as much attention to the road as you are to what you’re listening to, and that you don’t end up with road hypnosis while you drive!
If you find your anxiety tends to get you to grip the steering wheel to hard when you drive, periodically squeeze the wheel as hard as you can ten times in a row to get your grip back to a normal pressure. When you get to a stop take your hands right off the wheel and shake them out. This can help avoid a panic attack later.
Increase the your confidence by telling yourself great things about yourself. Telling yourself positive things and passing positive compliments to others will deter judgmental feelings. These thoughts can lead to negative thinking which can increase anxiety and diminish control. See the positive aspects of yourself and others. Do your best to express these thoughts.
Use diversion tactics when having a panic attack. Repeat the alphabet backwards or count down from 100. Turn your favorite music on and sing along. Call a friend and chat on the phone, but don’t tell then about the panic – talk about something completely unrelated to how you are feeling.
As stated in the beginning of the article, the symptoms that come with panic attacks can be life changing. However, with the will to succeed and the proper knowledge, you can make these symptoms minimal or even have them gone. Use the tips this article has provided you in order to get your life back to the way it once was.
Are Panic Attacks Ruling Your Life? Take Back Control With These Helpful Tips was originally published on Spring