5 Tips When Experiencing an Anxiety Attack - Hang in There
Anxiety attacks affect six million Americans a year. When an attack comes on, your heart begins racing and you are gripped by overwhelming fear and the irrational sense that you are dying. You may have just one, or be stricken with repeat attacks. It is not a pleasant experience, but there are some ways to lessen the intensity. This is especially important because repeated attacks can lead to your withdrawal from places or situations that trigger the event. This withdrawal, in turn, leads to increased anxiety and phobia problems. If you are prone to this condition, here are 5 anxiety attack tips for lessening their severity.
The first three anxiety attack tips deal with the event itself. Your beginning course of action is to Be Prepared. Determine what situations or environments trigger your attacks. Learn to ascertain the early symptoms of your attack's onset. With this information at hand, you are now able to take control of the situation. Therefore, the second step is to Get Focused. Next time you enter a setting (elevator, crowd, plane) known to start your symptoms, or perhaps you feel them starting, immediately focus on your attack. Mentally, let yourself know that you are the one in control, not the attack. Third is to take a Breather. Slowing your breathing helps you to stay calm and maintain the focus you have begun in the second step. Keep your breaths even and controlled.
The last two anxiety attack tips are aimed at prevention. Therefore, your fourth step entails living a better life. Make sure you are eating right and getting enough exercise. Take time out of your busy life to relax or meditate. Yoga, for example, is an excellent combination of both relaxation and exercise. Your fifth step is to Contact Your Doctor, if you have not already done so. Some people only suffer panic attacks for a short period in their lives. Others, however, are not so "lucky." Therapy and medical treatment is needed to lessen the severity of the attacks, so they do not lead to more anxiety problems. A good example is to stop one anxiety attack in an elevator from becoming a full-blown phobia.
Please remember that no one has died from an anxiety attack. As scary as they are, they are not fatal themselves. The hallmark of anxiety and panic disorders is the feeling of losing control. Therefore, taking control away from your anxiety attack is the ultimate revenge. These anxiety attack tips will help you do just that.
The first three anxiety attack tips deal with the event itself. Your beginning course of action is to Be Prepared. Determine what situations or environments trigger your attacks. Learn to ascertain the early symptoms of your attack's onset. With this information at hand, you are now able to take control of the situation. Therefore, the second step is to Get Focused. Next time you enter a setting (elevator, crowd, plane) known to start your symptoms, or perhaps you feel them starting, immediately focus on your attack. Mentally, let yourself know that you are the one in control, not the attack. Third is to take a Breather. Slowing your breathing helps you to stay calm and maintain the focus you have begun in the second step. Keep your breaths even and controlled.
The last two anxiety attack tips are aimed at prevention. Therefore, your fourth step entails living a better life. Make sure you are eating right and getting enough exercise. Take time out of your busy life to relax or meditate. Yoga, for example, is an excellent combination of both relaxation and exercise. Your fifth step is to Contact Your Doctor, if you have not already done so. Some people only suffer panic attacks for a short period in their lives. Others, however, are not so "lucky." Therapy and medical treatment is needed to lessen the severity of the attacks, so they do not lead to more anxiety problems. A good example is to stop one anxiety attack in an elevator from becoming a full-blown phobia.
Please remember that no one has died from an anxiety attack. As scary as they are, they are not fatal themselves. The hallmark of anxiety and panic disorders is the feeling of losing control. Therefore, taking control away from your anxiety attack is the ultimate revenge. These anxiety attack tips will help you do just that.