I suffered from panic attacks for over a decade. For anyone that has dealt with them, you can attest to their awfulness. I’m not going to lie and tell you the secrets on how to stop panic attacks fast. Because it doesn’t exist. What I can tell you is with some work you can get through this. At the moment it might sound like a hopeless situation. Yet I sit here writing this blog post, 3 years panic attack free. So what did I do?
Was there a magical cure for my panic attacks?
Sorry to disappoint you, but there was no one simple thing I did to rid myself of panic attacks. Instead, I used several strategies, and to finally got me through. I need to point out that in addition to panic attacks, I also struggle with depression and anxiety. For some helpful tips for anxiety check out this article. Here is a list of things I did to help me overcome panic attacks.
I embraced them
I know what you’re thinking, but hear me out. I didn’t welcome a panic attack with open arms. I changed how I saw them. Instead of dreading them, I tried to joke about them. I used to tell people I preferred to get my panic attacks over with early in the day. That way I could get the worst part of my day over with.
Did this change my mindset and stop the panic attacks? Nope. Did they lessen in intensity? Nope. What it did was create a different thought pattern. I started looking at future panic attacks as inevitable. Yes, I could have one today, tomorrow, or next week. So what? When it happens I will deal with every excruciating moment of it.
Exercise
I discovered something helpful. I realized when taking walks, if I exerted myself enough to get out of breath, I could induce an almost panic attack. A panic attack feels like you are dying. Your heart might feel like it’s beating out of your chest. You cannot breathe at all. You might feel an overwhelming sense of terror and dread.
I found a park with steep hills and I started walking/running up them. I did this until I was out of breath, gasping for air at the top. This feeling was similar to my often daily or weekly panic attacks. Standing on top of a hill struggling to breathe gave me an insight I had not had before. I had control of this kind of panic.
Another benefit was a daily exercise routine that can relieve various ailments. It’s great for depression, anxiety, and yes panic attacks.
Exposure
I used to get panic attacks in my car. Often it was anticipatory. Which means I was anticipating having a panic attack at some point. And by doing that I would induce a real panic attack.
So what did I do? I drove around in my car. A lot. I drove for hours and exposed myself to those feelings of almost panic. I can say with confidence that I have not had a panic attack in my car, in over 5 years.
Ground yourself in reality
I have a bad habit of losing myself inside my mind. When I am having a panic attack, I feel like a prisoner trapped inside my tormented mind. So how do I keep myself out of my head during panic attacks? Or even before one comes on?
I ground myself. I look around at my surroundings. Use all your senses. What do you see? Hear, smell, taste, and touch? I look at trees or paintings on the walls. I might smell someone’s perfume or cologne next to me in a store.
I even had an exercise that helped. I would touch my thumb to each finger on my hand in order. Then I would reverse it. Tap, tap, tap. It forced me to focus on something outside of my mind.
Other options to stop panic attacks
You can try medication. I did for many years. But over time I realized that I relied on those medications, which was crippling me from moving forward. I am in no way saying medication is not an option. It aided me many times and is a necessary tool at times for panic attacks.
Meditation is also helpful. It forces you to focus on the now and not the future.
Therapy. A licensed professional is an invaluable tool in your wellness plan. Not only are they trained to address your panic attacks. They can also give you another perspective on your situation.
In addition to my tips and advice, be sure to check out this article on healthy habits I use to help with my mental health.
There is hope
Finally, remember that you are going to be ok. Panic attacks are terrible, but they do subside. It might feel like you dying in the middle of one. But never forget that they are not permanent.
For more information on panic attacks
Be sure to check out https://www.nimh.nih.gov for numerous great resources on mental health.
Also, visit https://www.nami.org.
