Dealing with a panic attack

Our lives are surrounded by stresses and anxieties. From relationships to work, from home to office, it seems that all every avenue unanimously offers is anxiety. 

And when not managed, this anxiety can lead to a panic attack. In the attack, body perceives itself to be in mortal danger, even when there is none. Often, people having a panic attack think they are dying.

A panic attack can also lead to panic disorder, a condition remarked by recurrent panic attacks and a fear of another one in the future. Panic disorder can be extremely disruptive and merits the intervention of a Psychologist in Lahore. 

If you have had a panic attack or consider yourself to be at the risk of having one due to your anxiety disorder, it helps to know the tips to manage the panic attack. You cannot avoid one altogether, and neither can you stop it, but working through it is possible so that its impact is controlled on your body. 

Dealing with a panic attack

Know the signs

For the people experiencing it for the first time, recognizing the signs of a panic attack might be difficult. But reading up and knowing the signs can be of help. Common symptoms of a panic attack include:

• Chest pain, which many people confuse with a heart attack 
• Chills
• Cramps
• Digestive issues like nausea, vomiting and diarrhea 
• Dry mouths 
• Fear of losing control 
• Fear of death
• Hot flashes
• Numbness and tingling 
• Palpitations
• Sweats
• Trembles 

So, when you observe these signs, and know that you are not in any mortal danger, understand that it is likely a panic attack. Knowing this will not prevent the panic attack, but it will at least make you feel better. 

Change your focus 

If you continue to focus on your state, chances are you will become even more stressed. So, during a panic attack, it helps to divert your attention elsewhere. It also occupies your brain alongside making the time go by easily. 

A good drill is to notice things around you. Or you can also repeat a reassuring mantra. If you have support around, you can ask them to carry a conversation with you.

Go to a quiet place

When there is a lot of noise around the place where you are having a panic attack, it can fuel your anxieties. So, try to go to a quieter place. If you do not have such an option, then at least close your eyes so that you are not overstimulated. 

Do breathing exercises

As panic attack disrupts breathing, countering it with the aid of breathing exercises can be of help. These allow the breathing pattern to normalize and can also make the body calm. 

The easier breathing exercise to remember and perhaps do during a panic is attack is deep breathing. It simply calls for taking a slow breath in, holding it for some time, and then releasing it just as slowly.

Enter your happy place

Having a happy place helps with different mental health problems like stress and is also effective during a panic attack. So, envision a place that gives you happiness. Try to put all your imagination to it, so that you do believe you really are in the spot. It will allow you to feel at relative peace. 

Practice mindfulness

While you should practice mindfulness always, it is also helpful during a panic attack. The art of mindfulness essentially calls for focusing in the moment, and meditating. Try to take in your environment, check in with your emotions, do not judge yourself for feeling the way you do. It is especially effective right before the onset of a panic attack. 

Get professional help

While some people have just an isolated experiencing of a panic attack, for others, it is a recurrent issue. In the case of the latter, it is important that you consult the Best Psychologist in Karachi, as therapy can help you manage your anxieties and the panic disorder better.