What to do to calm anxiety or panic attacks?

Hello.

I'm very sorry to hear that you have been feeling anxious and that you've experienced a panic attack.  This is where I would start if we met for a session so I am hopeful it gives you a direction to try.

First, know that it makes sense that you haven't felt like yourself.  Once these out-of-the-blue events happen, it can really throw us for a loop. 

When you say there is nothing major happening in your life, I have to wonder then about your thoughts.  Where are your thoughts taking you on any given day? What do you think about? What are you worrying about? How do you talk to yourself?

This is important to note because our bodies follow our mind. If our mind is thinking about negative, troubling things-our bodies are experiencing all of it as if it were really happening to us right here, right now in the present moment.  If I'm thinking about the regret and pain of a break up from 10 years ago, my body is responding (hormonally, chemically, physiologically) as though the break up is happening right here, right now.    I personally, do not wish to relive that break up.  And I certainly don't want my body to release all the adrenaline, etc that will have no place to go because there is nothing to do with it-nothing is happening even remotely like that break up on this day, at this time.  Does that make sense?   (This is also why exercise is so good for us when we have an overactive mind or we relive painful memories-at least it gives somewhere for the stress to go.  Through movement and sweat, the hormones have a release). 

The other good news is (if you are motivated), there are many things you can try to help your mind/body/spirit to  process and for you to feel more at ease again.  Here is a list in no particular order. Some will sound simple but just because they are simple does not mean they are easy.  Also follow your intuition along the way because maybe more will reveal itself to help you in your particular experience.

1-Stop judging yourself as in stop saying "I shouldn't feel this way".  Even consider ending your relationship with judgment of any kind.

2-Accept yourself (though you don't have to like it).

3-Things happen to us to wake us up.  If you frame it as this panic attack happened FOR me to... (was there something to learn from it?).

4-Take a break every hour by setting an alarm on your phone:  take one in and out breath mindfully. That's it, just one in and out breath consciously and then resume whatever you were doing.

5-Get and stay hydrated. Exercise and sleep.

6-Check in with what are you asking yourself to digest? physically, emotionally, mentally?

7-Check your focus--What we focus on grows--what are you focusing on?

8-Search "triple warmer smoothie" technique by Donna Eden energy medicine and try it often!

9-Search "marysise.com" and her Tapping Tuesdays for EFT technique (free!) and read Mary's article on tapping the panic out of the pandemic.

10-Observe yourself.  We move from states of calm to fight/flight/freeze.  Do you notice this happening?  observe when you move from one state to another or even are in a blended state where you are calm but also anxious thoughts are happening. What helps you return to calm? nature, water, music, mindful breathing, journaling...?

11-Ask yourself, what lights me up? & are you ignoring that which lights you up? Follow your intuitive whisperings that are only there for you and your journey in this life. 

I hope you consider all that I wrote above and then take a deep breath and a moment to simply listen to yourself. Ask yourself, what am I willing and ready to try today?  I sent you a lengthy list of ideas that I've seen work so I wanted to send them along for you to contemplate.

All you need is to do right now though is to choose one thing and take one baby step toward it. You can do this.