Have you ever felt a mix of shortness of breath accompanied by sweating, shaking, palpitations, and a feeling that an impending doom is coming? If you do, these are the classic signs of panic attacks. It starts in the brain with an intense and overwhelming feeling of fear that hijacks the brain and progresses to present physical symptoms.
Palpitations, shaking, sweating, and a feeling of doom takes over you, and this impairs your ability to make a sound decision. It may sound like it is something that is not to be concerned about. But if you are placed in an unfavorable circumstance, this can be life threatening.
Here are some ways to help you identify a panic attack and how to effectively deal with them.
Know that you can take control of your panic
It is easy to get absorbed by the downward spiraling negative effects of panic. In fact, it takes nothing from you to get into a melodramatic episode of a panic attack. You just have to let go of control and swim where the stream goes.
In contrast, working against the flow takes focus and control from you. It takes your active participation and intention to effectively know how to overcome panic attacks. Unless you muster your strength and fight the negative thoughts obscuring your perception, it would nearly be impossible.
Step 2. Take a deep breath
Now that you have finally garnered the strength to fight, start with normalizing your bodily functions. By the time panic hits, your heart rate and breathing are overdriven. Take control of it by inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly. This will help you slow down your heart rate and clear the cloud in your mind.
Related : 5 EFFECTIVE AND PROVEN WAYS ON HOW TO WHITEN YOUR TEETH
Step 3. Stop those negative thoughts
The exaggerated thoughts in your mind fuel an irrational fear that draws you to think of a worsening case every second. If you don’t fight it off, you can be consumed in a blackhole of frenzied negativity. The best you could do is replace these thoughts with a rational scenario.
Step 4. Replace them with statements that help (aka coping statements)
Tell yourself that you are strong enough to battle this attack. Go ahead and talk to yourself. This may be weird, but no one else can do this for you. These coping statements will help you go through the exaggerated fear and irrational thought.
Related : THIS HAPPENS TO YOUR BODY WHEN YOU STOP WORKING OUT
Step 5. Divert your attention
This may seem a very simple step. But when you are in that panicked situation, it can be difficult to know how to overcome panic attacks.
Gather your courage and do something that will take your mind off the fear. Listening to a relaxing music can help you soothe your anxiety. You can also shuffle a deck of playing cards. A Rubik’s cube can be a great distraction!
Identifying anxiety at its earliest can help you avoid a full-blown panic attack. Without knowing what triggers your fear, addressing it can be a difficult task. Intentionally probe and identify your fears so that you can manage panic attacks effectively.
This article changed my life!
This article was informative.
I have a medical question.
This article contains incorrect information.
This article doesn’t have the information I’m looking for.