How To Manage Panic Attacks?
By Melissa
MD, Mental Health Awareness And Self-Compassion, USA
Reading Time:
2 minutes
First, it’s hard to remember all this stuff during a panic attack. So, save this article or something like it and put it where you can access it if needed.
1- Know you are safe and it will pass
No one has ever died of a panic attack. Ever. Remind yourself that panic attacks are time limited. Your body is physically unable to remain in a panic state for an extended period. Eventually, the hormones are degraded, and the sympathetic overdrive is dampened down by your parasympathetic nervous system. It feels like longer, but panic attacks typically last less than 20 minutes.
2- Lean into discomfort
Easier said than done, I know. But because they are not dangerous, you can lean into the panic attacks. Don’t try to fight the thoughts, feelings and sensations that arise. Allow them to run their course. Have you ever played with a Chinese finger trap? The more you try and pull out of it, the more stuck you become. Check out Acceptance and Commitment Therapy exercises or books for anxiety.
3- Body scan
It can help to ground yourself in the present during a panic attack. A body scan is one way to do it. Squeeze and relax each muscle as you move from your toes to your head. Focus on the sensations in each part of your body. These are lots of good body scans on YouTube if you want to practice.
4- Activate the five senses
This is another way to ground yourself. Look around for five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste
5- Get rid of negative self-talk
How we talk to ourselves during a panic attack can decide how quickly we recover and how likely we are to have panic attacks in the future. Pay attention to judgments about yourself (“I’m weak”, “I shouldn’t have this problem”, etc.) and the panic attack (“I can’t handle this”, “That was awful”, etc.). Identify, release and re-frame these thoughts as best you can. All of this takes lots of practice, but a therapist and/or psychiatrist can help!
LAMSA’s note: Thank you Dr Melissa for your collaboration.
