How To Deal With Panic Attacks - 5 Coping Methods, 1 Cure
If you are suffering panic attacks and it is causing you to feel that your life is being adversely effected by ongoing worry and concern about them recurring and you are ready to take control of your life and really conquer your fears, then you need to read on, as I will be detailing the many ways in which you can learn how to deal with panic attacks.
When learning how to deal with panic attacks is important to have an understanding of what causes them and to see whether they are as threatening as they feel.
Knowledge in these areas leads to an understanding of how you might start dealing with them when they arise and specifically how you can overcome the fear them recurring.
So what is a panic attack? It's an episode of intense fear and apprehension which is usually relatively short term in nature.
They usually begin abruptly and last up to 30 mins though they can sometimes last longer and even cycle.
What causes panic attacks? There is no one cause for panic attacks.
They appear to occur as a result of a combination of circumstances and stimulus.
It can often be a stressor situation which triggers the attack and the effects are heightened by the sufferers thinking process at the time which exaggerates the danger and then perpetuates it.
The panic attack itself has some roots in our biological makeup and the programme that we as humans run when faced with danger: the "fight or flight response" is initiated when we perceive we are in danger however with a panic attack this is triggered unnecessarily and the concern and anxiety loops into more fear and more physiological response which breads more fera and so on.
Are panic attacks dangerous? Absolutely not.
There is no doubting that suffering an attack is a very frightening ordeal, terrifying even and the symptoms often result in first time sufferers being admitted in to hospitals thinking that they are having a heart attack or suffering difficulty breathing.
So these symptoms certainly feel very real however it is simply an overdone response to an unreal danger.
Whilst your heart may be pumping and you may be struggling for breath, perhaps feeling light headed and your fingers tingling you are not in any physical danger and your body can cope with the strain your panic is putting it under.
Of course you should rule out other possible causes and any underlying ailments by visiting your doctor.
How To Deal With Panic attacks There are several methods for dealing with Panic Attacks: Medication - never a long term solution at best should only be prescribed for short term relief.
It seldom deals with the underlying thinking which is at the root of panic attacks Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - focuses on the minds approach to the attacks and seeks to reinterpret them in a more empowering way, may include a behavioural therapy element by exposing the sufferer to the situations or trigger stimulus and in so doing desensitise them to it.
Deep Breathing techniques - can help when having an attack however they are often not high on the priority radar when sufferer a full blown attack.
Distraction techniques - the very concentration on the symptoms and the drama of the event heighten the symptoms and perpetuate the suffering so look to distract your thoughts from it.
Some recommend thinking of a calming favourite place or having a visual anchor like a photo to help you bridge thoughts to other things.
Healthy Life Style choices- Whilst not a direct way of dealing with an attack there is clear evidence that a healthy diet and good exercise regime help in the process of reducing their frequency.
Avoid cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, coffee and other caffeine drinks and excess sugar.
Replace coffee and sugary drinks with the bodies natural refreshment of choice: water In the long term however it is important to address the fear directly and reprogramme your thinking and your physiology so as to reduce or eliminate the attacks.
Specialist courses - designed to take you step by step so that you no longer fear the panic attack and can deal with the underlying thought process that is most likely the cause.
These have proven to be very effective as the best ones have been written by actual sufferers who have real understanding of the problems and have devised practical solutions usually with professional support.
When learning how to deal with panic attacks is important to have an understanding of what causes them and to see whether they are as threatening as they feel.
Knowledge in these areas leads to an understanding of how you might start dealing with them when they arise and specifically how you can overcome the fear them recurring.
So what is a panic attack? It's an episode of intense fear and apprehension which is usually relatively short term in nature.
They usually begin abruptly and last up to 30 mins though they can sometimes last longer and even cycle.
What causes panic attacks? There is no one cause for panic attacks.
They appear to occur as a result of a combination of circumstances and stimulus.
It can often be a stressor situation which triggers the attack and the effects are heightened by the sufferers thinking process at the time which exaggerates the danger and then perpetuates it.
The panic attack itself has some roots in our biological makeup and the programme that we as humans run when faced with danger: the "fight or flight response" is initiated when we perceive we are in danger however with a panic attack this is triggered unnecessarily and the concern and anxiety loops into more fear and more physiological response which breads more fera and so on.
Are panic attacks dangerous? Absolutely not.
There is no doubting that suffering an attack is a very frightening ordeal, terrifying even and the symptoms often result in first time sufferers being admitted in to hospitals thinking that they are having a heart attack or suffering difficulty breathing.
So these symptoms certainly feel very real however it is simply an overdone response to an unreal danger.
Whilst your heart may be pumping and you may be struggling for breath, perhaps feeling light headed and your fingers tingling you are not in any physical danger and your body can cope with the strain your panic is putting it under.
Of course you should rule out other possible causes and any underlying ailments by visiting your doctor.
How To Deal With Panic attacks There are several methods for dealing with Panic Attacks: Medication - never a long term solution at best should only be prescribed for short term relief.
It seldom deals with the underlying thinking which is at the root of panic attacks Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - focuses on the minds approach to the attacks and seeks to reinterpret them in a more empowering way, may include a behavioural therapy element by exposing the sufferer to the situations or trigger stimulus and in so doing desensitise them to it.
Deep Breathing techniques - can help when having an attack however they are often not high on the priority radar when sufferer a full blown attack.
Distraction techniques - the very concentration on the symptoms and the drama of the event heighten the symptoms and perpetuate the suffering so look to distract your thoughts from it.
Some recommend thinking of a calming favourite place or having a visual anchor like a photo to help you bridge thoughts to other things.
Healthy Life Style choices- Whilst not a direct way of dealing with an attack there is clear evidence that a healthy diet and good exercise regime help in the process of reducing their frequency.
Avoid cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, coffee and other caffeine drinks and excess sugar.
Replace coffee and sugary drinks with the bodies natural refreshment of choice: water In the long term however it is important to address the fear directly and reprogramme your thinking and your physiology so as to reduce or eliminate the attacks.
Specialist courses - designed to take you step by step so that you no longer fear the panic attack and can deal with the underlying thought process that is most likely the cause.
These have proven to be very effective as the best ones have been written by actual sufferers who have real understanding of the problems and have devised practical solutions usually with professional support.
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