Managing a Panic Attack

Anxiety was born in the very same moment as mankind. And since we will never be able to master it, we will have to learn to live with it— just as we have learned to live with storms.

Paulo Coelho

Ever since the pandemic, I’ve not made a secret of the mental health challenges I’ve faced however, after lots of counselling, CBT and just generally talking about it, I feel I’m back to my old self! One of the biggest problems I faced was panic attacks which ranged from feeling mildly nauseas to locking myself in a room shivering uncontrollably. Being totally honest, I still have them but my days of the locked, darkened room are gone! Here are a few strategies that have helped me.

Know the Signs

You don’t have to be in a scary situation to have a panic attack. You could be on a run, at a restaurant, or even asleep in bed. All of a sudden you get a strong surge of fear. This triggers physical symptoms like a pounding heart, sweating, shortness of breath, nausea, chest pain, or trembling. It can last 5 to 20 minutes. Once you learn to recognize when attacks are coming on, you can find ways to control or even stop them.

Live Your Life

It’s understandable that you’d want to avoid a panic attack at all costs! But it’s important to try not to let fear control your life. For example, don’t avoid places where you’ve had panic attacks in the past. If you have one, stay where you are, if it’s safe. When the attack is over, you’ll realize that nothing terrible happened.

Talk to Yourself

When you feel a panic attack coming on, remind yourself that you’re feeling anxiety, and not real danger. You can even try directly addressing the fear. Practice a go-to response like, “I am not afraid” or “This will pass.”

Don’t Distract Yourself

As tempting as it may be to try to focus your mind elsewhere, the healthiest way to deal with a panic attack is to acknowledge it. Try not to fight your symptoms. But keep reminding yourself that they will pass.

Breathe Through It

An attack may make you take quick, shallow breaths, so get your breathing under control. Close your eyes. Put your hand between your bellybutton and the bottom of your ribs. Inhale through your nose slowly and deeply. Then let all that air out gently through your mouth. You’ll feel the hand on your belly rise and fall. If it helps, you can count from 1 to 5 on each inhale and exhale. After a few minutes, you should start to feel better.

Keep Your Mind in the Present

Notice five things you can see around you. Then, four things you can touch. Three things you can hear. Two things you smell. One thing you taste. When you stay grounded in what’s going on around you, it gives your mind something better to do than focus on fear or bounce from one worry to the next, I found this particular technique really helpful!

H.A.L.T. Your Attack

H.A.L.T. stands for hungry, angry, lonely, tired – four feelings that bring out the worst in everyone. If you’re prone to panic attacks, they can turn into triggers. When symptoms pop up, check in with yourself: Am I hungry? Am I angry? Once you pinpoint what’s going on, you can take steps to fix it.

Stop the "What Ifs"

Panic attacks feed on thoughts of “what if.” What if I can’t do it? What if I run into my ex? What if everyone laughs at me? Acknowledge that fear, then shift from “what if” to “so what?” Sometimes the worst-case scenario isn’t as bad as it seems!

Careful With Coffee, Booze, Smoking!

Caffeine can make you feel nervous and shaky. It can also keep you awake, which can trigger tiredness later. Nicotine and alcohol can make you feel calm at first, then make you jittery as your body processes it. All three can trigger panic attacks or make them worse. I know it’s hard however, try and cut back as much as anything, cutting out caffeine in my diet really helped with the shaking!

Make Time to Exercise

I know, I know, I’m banging on about exercise again!! However, physical activity lowers stress, which is one of the main causes of panic attacks. A workout, especially the kind that gets your heart pumping, can also get you to a calmer place. Can’t work in a workout? Even a 10-minute walk can help!

Slow Down

Slow your body down, and your mind will follow. Practices like yoga and tai chi use slow body movements and train the mind to be calm and aware.

After several years now of trying to cope with these things these bite sized suggestions really helped me! One last thing; at the height of the pandemic, when my panic attacks were at their peak, I spoke to my GP, she was great and suggested I tried a drug called Propranolol. When you’re anxious, your brain makes chemical messengers called adrenaline and noradrenaline. These make your heart rate faster and make you sweat or shake. Propranolol helps block the effects of these chemical messengers. Whilst I take them rarely now, in the early days, I found them really helpful!

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