Five ways to deal with a panic attack

You are getting that feeling again - impending doom, you are scared of losing control or even death, your heart is racing, and you are shaking.  It has happened again, another panic attack.  Panic attacks strike when we want them to least, and often times we feel powerless against them.  In this article, we will review five ways that you can cope with your panic attack.

1. Practice deep breathing.  Oftentimes breathing becomes short and shallow during a panic attack.  Focus on a technique call 4-7-8 breathing where you breath in through your nose for a count of 4, hold it for a count of 7, and then breath out through your mouth for a count of 8.
2. Go for a walk or a jog.  Exercise is known to release endorphins which can help relax the body and improve mood.  Walking can also remove you from an environment which might feel emotionally unsafe while allowing you to focus on things besides your panic attack.
3. Try a mindfulness exercise.  Panic attacks can cause one to focus on "what if" scenarios that may or may not happen.  Mindfulness focuses you on the here and now and can help.  An example mindfulness exercise is below:
   1. Place a dollop of your favorite lotion in the palm of your hand.
   2. Observe characteristics of the lotion using each of your 5 senses.  For example: I smell the vanilla in the lotion, I feel the coolness in my hand, I see the edges of the lotion melting into my hand.
4. Try progressive muscle relaxation.  Progressive muscle relaxation is an effective technique for managing anxiety.  The mind can follow the body, meaning when the body relaxes, the mind can tend to relax as well.  Here is a popular script for progressive muscle relaxation that you can try. 
5. Picture your safe place.  Guided imagery can be extremely powerful in combating anxiety and panic attacks.  Close your eyes and imagine you are in your safe place.  Some think of their bedroom, the beach, or the mountains.  As you imagine being in your safe place, use all of your senses and notice 2-3 characteristics per sense.  

Sometimes panic attacks require professional help including potentially medication.  This might mean a trip to the psychiatrist and an appointment with a therapist.  If you have been experiencing panic that has been interrupting your day to day and live in Austin, please contact Seeds of Change Counseling at 512-676-5813 and schedule an appointment today.  We are proud to offer free therapy consultations before getting started to see if we are a fit.