Anxiety-related disorders are on the rise, and the accompanying panic attacks can devastate the lives of those who suffer from them. Many more people are beginning to need treatment and medication for this condition. The following article will give you some great tips on how to deal with panic attacks.
When you have panic attacks, make sure you get a full night’s sleep. If you do not get enough sleep you increase your chance of getting an attack. It will also keep you from thinking clearly and coping properly if you happen to go through an attack. Try to get 8 hours of sleep each night.
Seek strength in numbers by joining an online support group that focuses on effectively managing panic attacks. It is always a great relief to share details of your attacks with people who understand, as they are battling with it themselves. They may also have helpful hints on how to deal with panic attacks that you are not aware of.
Start making a list of symptoms of an oncoming attack immediately after you notice them. You can give yourself advanced notice of an oncoming attack when you’re familiar with the warning signs. This can really help a lot.
When you are in the midst of a panic attack, try your best to combat your symptoms. Go with it and let it happen, rather than attempting to fight it. Use your imagination to pretend that the sensations are flowing around you rather than through you. Most importantly, keep breathing deeply. Calm yourself down with slow breaths, in contrast to hyperventilating. Soon, the adrenaline will taper off and you’ll feel more relaxed.
If you find yourself in the midst of a panic attack, stop what you are doing, sit down, and focus on your breathing. Breathe in through your nose and make your stomach rise. Try to count slowly to five as you breathe in, and five as you breathe out through your mouth. Do this 10 times, and you will start to feel better.
When you feel stress coming on, make sure that you have someone to talk to. When you hear words of comfort from others, it will help relax you. Someone close enough to share a warm hug with your will have an even greater effect. Human touch is vital to almost all humans and can be very comforting.
It will help you to use these set of guidelines to your best advantage. It can help you avoid panic attacks entirely. If you do end up suffering from a panic attack, you can use the information presented to lower its intensity and make it last a shorter amount of time.