Do’s and Don’ts in Overcoming Panic Attacks

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Panic disorders affect twice as many women as men. While an attack may last only a few seconds or minutes, it usually leaves the sufferer emotionally unstable for quite some time afterward. Frequently, the anticipation of having subsequent attacks can be even more frightening than an attack itself.

If a close friend or family member suffer from panic and anxiety attacks, it is important that you know how to deal with them and their condition correctly so that you can help make them feel better instead of making them feel bad about themselves. The help of friends and family is critical in helping them improve their situation. Overcoming panic attacks will be a lot easier if they are surrounded by people who care for them and support them.

Here are the things which you should not do when someone you know and love suffer from panic and anxiety attacks.

Do not criticize people who have panic disorders. Do not tell them that they are just over reacting. Although panic attacks cannot harm them physically, it is very real and frightening to them. Having panic attacks feel like the world is crashing in on you and that you are having a heart attack. People with panic attacks are already much too critical with themselves and they do not need more people to make them feel worse. What they need is someone to support them.
Do not make them feel guilty. For some, anxiety attacks can be crippling that they refuse to go out of the house at all and socialize with other people. Do not make them feel guilty when there are certain things they cannot do. Overcoming anxiety will be a much more difficult ordeal if you make them feel guilty.
Do not get angry with them or show them that you are disappointed when setbacks happen. Dealing with anxiety is difficult and you should each step taken towards treatment and wellness as an achievement in itself. As with other things in life, you will encounter setbacks, they are only normal. Instead of getting angry, you should encourage sufferers and cheer for them when they take one step after another towards recovery.

You can overcome anxiety and panic using deep breathing, meditation and body scanning techniques

Overcoming Panic Attacks

Now that you know what NOT to do, you can help them overcome anxiety and panic attacks by redirecting their focus to something enjoyable or interesting. They need to become absorbed something exciting that they love doing. If the anxiety is so bad that doing something enjoyable is not an option then, any activity at all will do.

Here are some tips on how to overcome anxiety and panic using deep breathing, meditation and body scanning techniques.

“Deep Breathing: When we are anxious, our breathing tends to be shallow and fast. In contrast, deep and slow breathing tends to relax us at a physiological level. Begin this practice by lying down or sitting in a comfortable chair. Place your hand on your stomach area. Now, as you slowly breath in, draw the air all the way down into your diaphragm. Feel your hand rise as the breath comes in. You can gently count 1,2,3, 4 as you breathe in. Breathe out to a count of 1,2,3, 4 and hold on the out breath for another 4 seconds. Repeat this practice for 3 – 5 minutes.
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Breath Meditation: Choose a word or two that evoke qualities of experience that you would like to cultivate. For instance, words like courage, trust, peace, well-being, love, equanimity. Choose whatever words seem most appropriate at this time. Let’s say the words you select happen to be openness and trust, now as you slowly breathe in, imagine breathing in openness, opening up your mind and heart, opening to your feelings, opening to goodness, opening to love, etc. Then, as you breathe out, imagine yourself deeply trusting, letting the sense of trust wash through you, bathing your muscles and tendons, your bones and internal organs all the way down to the cellular level.
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Body Scanning: Find a quiet room and lie down on a sofa or bed. Take a few deep breaths, letting your attention withdraw from the outer world and to focus in on your body. Now bring your full attention down to your feet. First, allow your toes to relax, then the ball of your feet, then the soul and heel. Very gradually move your mind’s eye up through your body, allowing each part to relax completely, until you reach the top of your head. You can cultivate feelings of relaxation by gently saying to yourself, My feet are relaxing . . . my knees are relaxing, and so on. It’s very important to bring and keep as much of your attention as you can on what your body is actually experiencing. For instance, you may notice sensations of tingling, heaviness or warmth. Whatever sensations arise, just allow them to be as you continue to move up through your body. To the extent that you can relax your body in this way, then your mind also will become relaxed.”

1 Comment

lance

October 28, 2011

Breath deeply through your nose using your abdominal muscles to fully fill your lungs. When you find yourself in those situations of stress pinch the lobes of your ears, starting from the front, working towards the back. This releases endorphins into your system to calm you down.

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