Search the Community

How to Walk Yourself Through a Panic Attack Is there anything you can do this very minute to control panic? Anything you can do on your own that can offer rapid relief from the agony of pain and anxiety? Yes, there is! The "quick tips" in this article are based on proven principals from the field of anxiety management and can be surprisingly effective, offering temporary relief to "tide you over" till you can seek out a more systematic attack on your anxiety. Use them the instant you sense the first curling sensation that says "panic" and you may even be able to stop your panic before it starts. First and foremost, be aware that a panic attack can't hurt you. It isn't dangerous, and it doesn't mean you're crazy, no matter how it feels! In fact, panic attacks make biological sense--even though they may feel completely senseless. You might think of your body's reaction to a minor threat as though it's a major emergency - the result of an exquisitely sensitive nervous system, possibly combined with early life experiences that may have taught you to overestimate the likelihood of danger in different situations. During a panic attack, your body reacts as though you're in danger, releasing adrenaline and noradrenaline to prepare you to fight an unknown enemy--or to run for your life. This in turn produces a host of alarming sensations--a pounding heart, an urge to flee, difficulty thinking straight and feelings of impending doom. The problem, of course, is that during a panic attack, the body's alarm system kicks in when it's not needed--not when you're facing an attacker, or a natural disaster, but when you're giving a talk in a course you're taking, or sitting quietly in the classroom. And though you may feel as though you will, you won't faint; you won't have a heart attack; you won't do something crazy or out of control. And you won't die. Reminding yourself of those facts can reduce the frightening sensations of panic. More at the link here http://www.exitsupportnetwork.com/recovery/panic.htm Thank you Jason for sharing! This post has been promoted to an article