7 Tips for Dealing with Panic Attacks
Be sure that you are not in danger
We have to admit the fact that it is quite difficult to recognize that you are not in danger and you won’t die when you actually have a panic attack, but it is important to remain calm and think about how strong you are.
Moreover, some people have sudden panic attacks, while others after thinking of negative scenarios and the symptoms include severe heart palpitations, trembling, nausea and sweaty hands. So, regardless of the cause of your panic attack, both categories of people believe they will die because of a heart attack or stroke. In reality, this is very unlikely to happen, especially when everything is only in your head.
“It’s traumatic. Like the feeling that you got as a kid when someone held you under the water too long – you feel like something terrible is happening. They want to get help because it feels unusual, it doesn’t make sense, and they will call their doctor or go to the emergency room,” says Dr. Cassiday.
Anxiety is a mental illness that can affect anyone at any age. And people who have anxiety “get caught up in the worst-case scenario and they can’t let go of it – what if I lose my job, what if my partner is having an affair, what if my child gets in a car accident,” says Cassiday.
But it is very important to remain calm and to understand that you are safe. When you have a panic attack try to focus on how strong you are! “You need to understand that it is a false alarm. Even though you think you are going insane, you are not – most panic attacks will peter out after two or three minutes.”
This article was very helpful to me. Although I don’t exactly have “panic attacks” I do have a lot of stress and it is making me have anxiety. My son approached me the other day just to say something to me, and I practically jumped out of my skin. I know, you’re probably thinking that he surprised me, but this has happens all the time and he tells me “Ma, calm down” and I say to him “why do you keep creeping up on me like that” and he says, I’m not and apologizes every time and I feel really bad about that cause deep down inside I know it’s not his fault and then of course I apologize and tell him it’s not his fault. I’m very jumpy, it’s hard to explain.
I read this article and hope that this will not be the next symptom that I will experience. First it was the stress, then my anxiety levels are off the charts so of course I hope that I won’t get “panic attacks.” After reading this article, and knowing why I’m so darn jumpy all the time, I’ll at least be prepared if something like that should happen to me. I do have a lot of stress, I do worry too much and I really do not get enough sleep but it’s because I’ve been thinking too much about my monetary problems and I am doing the best that I can and I know this, but I still get stressed and then the anxiety takes over. Sometimes I get so angry with myself because I know that this is why I’m feeling like this but I cannot control it, even though I do try, it becomes a little overwhelming. I’m going to try harder and be more aware when it tries to take control of me again.
You know what, actually, just writing to you about this I feel a little better, getting it off my chest (like therapy if you will). It’s as though it’s “written in stone” for me since I’ve taken my time to write this and I can actually see the words that I’ve written. For me, something visual always stays on my mind much longer if that makes any sense to you.