How to Calm An Anxiety Attack: Tips For Panic Disorder And Mental Health Management
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It can be normal to experience concern or worry on occasion, but when that worry turns into full-blown fear and panic, it can be disruptive and frightening and can affect your personal life. Anxiety attacks are not necessarily uncommon, and there may be many well-researched techniques to quickly calm down and reduce their frequency in the future. At the moment, it can be helpful to get yourself to a safe space, seek support, use grounding techniques, practice self-care, and identify your triggers through a physical examination with a professional. For long-term relief from anxiety attacks, you may benefit from working with a licensed therapist through an online therapy platform or in your local area. You may speak to them regularly.
What is an anxiety attack?
An anxiety attack can be defined as an acute bout of extreme nervousness and fear accompanied by a range of physical, emotional, and mental symptoms that affect your daily function. Symptoms of an anxiety attack may include the following:
- Intensely worrisome thoughts, such as a fear of harm or even death
- General feelings of unease, restlessness, and feeling anxious
- Feeling constantly tearful or irritable
- Intense fatigue
- Hypervigilance and/or sensory sensitivity
These attacks can last from a few hours up to several days or even weeks at a time, causing anxiety. Pain in the chest is common for people experiencing a panic attack or heart attack, and an increased heart rate can make it feel like a heart attack. However, for a panic attack, the pain is usually sharper and localized towards the middle of the chest. For a heart attack, the pain tends to feel more like pressure in the chest.
What causes anxiety?
Anxiety and panic attacks can be caused by stressful situations in our lives, which trigger stress hormones and affect your overall sense of well-being—potentially including things like moving, getting a new job or losing your current job, starting a new relationship or ending a long-standing one, or a major traumatic event, like an accident or natural disaster.
Oftentimes, an anxiety attack may be brought on by long-term exposure to high-stress situations, such as living in an unstable home environment. However, there are a number of other risk factors that could lead to an anxiety or panic attack. Among some of them, research shows that cardiac symptoms, alcohol abuse, depression, and major grief episodes are all associated with panic attacks.
If you are experiencing trauma, support is available, and learning to avoid situations that trigger trauma can help. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.
Are these symptoms of another condition?
Often, anxiety attacks are a symptom of a mental health disorder.
Generalized anxiety disorder
One of the most common disorders, generalized anxiety disorder, is characterized by persistent feelings of fear or dread that can disrupt a person’s daily life and cause physical symptoms, such as irregular sleeping patterns, temporarily increased blood pressure, chronic pain, and digestive issues.
Panic disorder
Though panic attacks are the primary feature of panic disorder, anxiety attacks may also arise from this condition. A fear of recurrent panic attacks is a symptom of panic disorder. So, if an individual develops sudden, intense feelings due to this fear, they may experience an anxiety attack without ever having symptoms of a panic attack.
Specific phobia
Marked by fear of a certain experience, object, or other stimulus, a specific phobia can cause individuals to feel nervous when confronted with the subject of their fear. For example, someone who has arachnophobia may experience sudden physical and emotional symptoms when they see a spider.
Treatment for anxiety disorders typically comprises psychotherapy and medication. Through therapy, a healthcare professional can help their client identify the sources of their symptoms, develop healthy coping strategies, and address potential comorbid conditions. Cognitive behavioral therapy (sometimes styled as cognitive behavioral therapy) is a widely accepted therapeutic modality that has been shown to ease anxiety in participants. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and medications from the benzodiazepine drug class are common pharmacological approaches to mental health management.
The differences between anxiety attacks and panic attacks
The term “anxiety attack” is generally a colloquial reference to long-term episodes of anxiety; it’s not an officially recognized diagnosis in the DSM-5.
What many people consider to be an anxiety attack can actually be a panic attack, which can be defined as a short-term bout of intense, debilitating fear and dread. A panic attack might include symptoms like intense shaking, disorientation, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat, feelings of impending doom, and loss of control.
Learning how to recognize and manage these symptoms, including how to calm down from a panic attack, can help individuals reduce and deal with the impact of panic attacks on their daily lives. These episodes tend to be more acute, often lasting between five and thirty minutes.
Six tips to calm yourself down
Though everyone may function differently, there may be a few steps you can take to calm yourself during and immediately following one of these attacks. These steps can help you manage the overwhelming feelings and physical symptoms that often accompany a panic attack.
1. Bring yourself to a safe space
As soon as you recognize that the attack is occurring, try to remove yourself to a safe space. For example, this could be your bedroom or another room you know well. Ideally, this may be a space you are familiar with. This space should generally be quiet, moderately or dimly lit, and away from crowds or foot traffic. The idea is typically to reduce the amount of external stimulation your brain is receiving so that you can begin to easily achieve control over your thoughts and emotions.
2. Seek immediate support
If you are unable to move yourself, it can be ideal to have some way to signal a trusted person you are with or call for help so that they can bring you to a safe space. This person can help you with the following steps and, if necessary, call for professional assistance on your behalf.
3. Find coping techniques that help you ground yourself
Grounding can be a method of controlling your brain’s sensory input through deliberate recognition of external stimuli. One popular example of a grounding technique may be to name five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. Having materials with unique sensory experiences on hand – such as a fidget toy, scented lotion, or small sour candy – can be helpful if you experience these often.
Managing symptoms and finding support with online therapy for panic attacks and mental health
Online therapy through services like BetterHelp can be an especially valuable option for people with anxiety, as it can happen in the comfort of your own home and on your own schedule, meaning you don’t usually have to worry about waiting in an office or commuting.
Therapy can be an effective method of treating anxiety, whether you attend in-person or online, as it can help you recognize and treat the underlying thought patterns, behaviors, and situations that often contribute to these feelings.
Takeaway
What is the 3-3-3 rule for panic attacks?
The 3-3-3 method is a coping strategy that may be a way to manage panic symptoms. It involves naming three things you can see, three things you can hear, and three things you can touch to focus your mind. By focusing on your physical senses, it may be possible to distract yourself from the symptoms and come back to the present.
What does a panic attack feel like?
Anxiety attacks and panic attacks are periods of intense anxiety and panic that are often brought on by specific triggers. For example, a sudden loud noise could trigger an attack. They can be short, but they can also last for longer periods of time, and they may come on gradually, making the situation feel dangerous.
Symptoms may include:
- A racing heartbeat
- Rapid breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle tension
- A feeling of being on edge or under threat, and feeling overwhelming fear
- Fear that something bad is going to happen
Most panic attacks are shorter, more frightening, and more intense. They tend to come on unexpectedly and often do not have a specific trigger. People experiencing these may feel a loss of control or believe they are having a heart problem instead.
Other symptoms may include:
- An increased heart rate
- Chest pain
- Feelings of impending doom
- Sweating, chills, or trembling
- Trouble breathing
- Faintness or dizziness
How do you calm an anxiety attack or reduce the chance of it and manage panic disorder naturally?
A variety of self-care strategies may be helpful for managing your overall mental health and improving your overall quality of life. By incorporating these practices into your routine, you can better calm anxiety attacks and reduce the severity of panic disorder. These include:
- Getting aerobic exercise to manage stress
- Setting aside time for hobbies and activities and setting small targets to build confidence
- Practicing mindfulness to avoid situations that cause distress
- Journaling about thoughts and feelings
- Talking to others or engaging in talk therapy to manage stress during stressful periods
- Eating a balanced diet and reducing alcohol intake
- Practicing healthy sleep habits to make your energy levels stable
How do I know if I have anxiety or mental health concerns, and how can breathing help?
The signs can vary depending on the person. Some common symptoms may include:
- Frequent worrying about many different things
- Trouble concentrating
- Irritability or agitation (which may stem from underlying health conditions)
- Withdrawal from social situations
- Trouble sleeping
- Changes in eating patterns
- Headaches, muscle aches, or indigestion can also accompany anxiety or other conditions
External stressors like unexpected bills can heighten anxiety. These issues may also cause difficulty in daily tasks. If you're experiencing symptoms that seem related to anxiety, practicing breathing techniques and seeking support for your mental health can be helpful steps in managing these feelings. You may talk with a professional to address the underlying difficulty in coping.
How do you calm an anxiety attack with breathing techniques?
Anxiety attacks are episodes of intense anxiety in reaction to a perceived threat. They may involve a racing heartbeat, having and feeling anxious thoughts, feeling your heart pounding, and high levels of stress hormones. Using breathing techniques can help slow your heart rate, relieve anxiety, and reduce the physical symptoms of an anxiety attack. Simple techniques can help you calm down from an anxiety attack, such as sweating. These include learning to practice mindfulness, practicing deep breathing, or doing a guided meditation. Talking to a trusted friend or family member can also be helpful. In the long run, you can create healthy habits, such as getting enough sleep and getting good nutrition. Regular exercise can also help release tension. These techniques can help relieve tension and reduce stress, along with calming anxiety, as stress and anxiety have similar symptoms.
How do I get rid of an anxiety attack or panic disorder ASAP?
To relieve the effects of an anxiety attack and get through it, talk yourself through breathing, focus on the present, and stay where you are (and find a quieter space if you are around others, if necessary). If you are managing panic disorder, small targets for practicing these techniques regularly can help reduce the frequency and intensity of future episodes. Strong sensations, such as a strongly flavored food, warmth, or cold, can also bring you into the present moment and lessen your anxious or negative thoughts. Using these techniques, it is possible to easily achieve feelings of increased calm.
How do you comfort a person having a panic attack?
There are ways to comfort a person and manage panic attacks when they occur. You can help someone reduce anxiety from racing thoughts and reduce tension in their body. If they feel detached from reality, you can help ground them in reality. You can speak calmly, take deep breaths with them, repeat calming phrases, maintain eye contact, do grounding exercises, or help them find a quiet space.
The most important thing to ease anxiety is staying calm around the person. You can take deep breaths with them, repeat calming phrases, maintain eye contact, do grounding exercises, or help them find a quiet space. It is important to validate their emotions and not judge or give lengthy advice. Keep any instructions or advice short and useful. Once they have stable energy levels, there are ways to prevent panic attacks in the future, such as avoiding trigger situations.
What drink calms anxiety?
If you are feeling anxious, you can try drinks like chamomile tea, lavender tea, green tea, warm milk, or warm water with magnesium powder to relieve anxiety. Drinking enough water may also help you avoid anxiety. If you have chronic anxiety, especially when coupled with financial problems, it is often important to avoid alcohol and stimulants such as coffee and other caffeinated drinks. Always talk with a healthcare provider before adding supplements to your diet.
How long do anxiety attacks last?
Most anxiety attacks last between a few minutes and about 30 minutes. That said, in some cases, an anxiety attack can last for hours or even days.
Does anxiety go away if you ignore it?
No, anxiety generally does not go away on its own. It can be triggered by a number of things, such as unexpected bills, financial problems, life stressors, mental illness, distinct sounds, or medication. If you are taking medication, be sure to read the boxed warning to see if a side effect is higher anxiety levels. It is important to manage anxiety, and if you can’t manage your anxious feelings on your own, it’s important to reach out to a mental health professional for support. You may benefit from the help of a therapist and/or when a doctor prescribes anti-anxiety medication. Reach out to your healthcare provider if you have concerns about your anxiety levels or frequently feel anxious, especially if related to health conditions.
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