6 Ways To Stop a Panic Attack Immediately
Maybe It feels like you can’t breathe, like a semi-truck is lying on your chest. Perhaps you feel immobilized- it’s as if you’re just on the brink of death.
If you’ve experienced a panic attack in the past, you know how frightening they can feel. To further complicate matters, some people don’t recognize what’s happening. For example, many women mistake their panic attack symptoms for a heart attack or stroke.
These attacks can happen spontaneously, but they can also result from anxiety, trauma, and chronic stress. With that in mind, you can learn how to cope and stop a panic attack in its tracks. Let’s get to what you need to know.
Understand the Symptoms
To stop a panic attack, you need to recognize when one’s happening. Panic attacks feel different for everyone, but the universal symptoms include:
Heart palpitations or racing heart
Sweating
Nausea or stomach pains
Feeling light-headed or dizzy
Experiencing numbness or tingling sensations
Chest pain
Hot or cold flashes
The feeling of losing control
By recognizing that you’re experiencing a panic attack, you can remind yourself that it will pass, and you will move on from this moment. This simple awareness can naturally lift some of the anxiety you may be facing.
If you experience recurrent panic attacks, it may be beneficial to track particular situations before and after each incident. Consider keeping a journal and writing down what happened and how you felt just before and after the panic attack.
This insight can help you gain a deeper understanding of what might be triggering these episodes. Once you know some of your triggers, you may feel more confident in creating healthy coping skills for managing them as they arise in real-time.
Take Several Deep Breaths
When we feel anxious or panicked, our breathing becomes more restricted. These shallow breaths can actually perpetuate hyperventilation, which can trigger more panic attacks.
Deep breathing may require conscious effort at first. After all, if you’re like most women, you move about your busy day without a second thought about how you breathe.
Start by resting one hand on your stomach. Inhale through your nose and count for five beats (or until you feel your lungs completely fill with air). You should feel your belly expand fully. Then, exhale through your mouth and release for five beats. Repeat for several minutes.
Visualize a Safe Place
Your safe place can be real or imagined, but it should be an image that triggers feelings of joy, relaxation, and contentment. You should be able to quickly visualize this place at a moment’s notice.
When you feel anxiety coming on, take a moment, close your eyes, and imagine being in this safe place. Take in all your surroundings, and try to allow your body to relax.
If you notice your mind wandering, try not to judge any thoughts that arise. Instead, shift your mindset back into this safe place until you feel calmer.
Repeat a Safe Mantra
Mantras encourage you to affirm yourself and your feelings. The more upset you feel about a panic attack, the worse the symptoms feel. That’s because our thoughts and feelings are interconnected. By shifting your thinking, your anxiety may feel less debilitating.
To be effective, mantras should be believable and easy-to-remember. Some examples include:
I am safe right now.
I am a strong and capable woman.
I know I will get through this.
I am calm.
This moment will pass.
Ground Yourself With Five Senses
The 5-4-3-2-1 exercise is an intuitive, straightforward method that allows you to quickly ground yourself back into reality. When you notice a panic attack happening, try this sequence of acknowledging:
Five things you see.
Four things you feel.
Three things you hear.
Two things you smell.
One thing you taste.
This exercise takes just a few moments, but it requires brief attentiveness and concentration. By focusing on this task, you may feel less preoccupied with your other emotions.
Seek Therapy
Panic disorder is a mental health condition characterized by recurrent panic attacks. Women are 2.5x more likely to experience this condition compared to men. If panic attacks are affecting your quality of life, it may be worth seeking professional support.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based treatment that allows you to identify your anxiety triggers, change maladaptive coping skills, and develop new ways for managing distress. With regard to treating panic attacks, CBT can help you establish a better sense of control for what’s happening when you feel anxious.
Final Thoughts on Ways To Stop a Panic Attack
Panic attacks can feel frightening and frustrating. Whether you experience them repeatedly- or just a few times- they can affect your self-esteem, relationships, and overall well-being.
Together, we can develop an action-based plan for treating your anxiety. You can learn how to identify and stop a panic attack. Contact me today to schedule your initial consultation.