7 Tips for Dealing with Panic Attacks
Inhale and exhale as slowly as possible
In case you did not know this before, people who have a panic attack tend to take a deep breath because they feel chest pain. But, an increased breathing level can cause more anxiety. If you breathe slowly you adjust the carbon level which will calm you down. Chest pain is caused by hyperventilating and the tightening of the muscles.
 “They go to the emergency room hyperventilating, holding their chest and belly – they are so tight that they forget to breathe. If you breathe at a rate of six to eight breathes per minute, it cues your body that everything is okay,” says Cassiday.
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.