1 - Try not to fight what you are feeling:
It is important to remind yourself that you are
experiencing intense anxiety that is most likely out of
proportion to any actual danger. Often fighting the
feelings, pushing them away or trying to distract yourself
can actually increase your fear of panic and give it more
power. It is important to remind yourself that panic is
never permanent and most panic attacks will pass in a few minutes.
2 - Relax :
Relaxation is the key to overcoming panic attacks.
Relaxation techniques such as breathing control and meditation can be practiced to help you relax. An example of breathing control is slow breathing;
* Breathe in slowly counting silently to yourself : 1…2…3…4…5…
* Hold your breath for a moment
* Breathe out slowly, counting silently to yourself : 1…2…3…4…5…
This is very effective when used at the first signs of a panic attack. It needs to be continued for around four minutes to allow the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide to return to normal.
3 - Challenge your fear :
Try to be aware of what you are thinking and see if you can challenge these fears. Here are some questions you can ask yourself:
- “Given what I now know about panic, and a recent medical check-up has ruled out any physical explanations, am I really having a heart attack, stroke, or going crazy? Is what I fear actually occurring, or is it more likely these symptoms are part of my anxiety response?”
- “What do I know from my past experience with panic attacks? Have I had these feelings before and did they kill me, or did they turn out to be a panic attack?”
- “If someone I know was experiencing these symptoms, what would I say to them to reassure them these are just anxiety symptoms?”
