How To Survive a Panic Attack
Before I start I want you to know what a panic attack is, and here is how our dear friend Wikipedia describes it:
Panic attacks are episodes of intense fear or apprehension that are of sudden onset[1]and of relatively brief duration. Panic attacksusually begin abruptly, reach a peak within 10 minutes, and are mainly over within 30 minutes.
1. Really this should be the golden rule, and that is simply "Don't Panic!" and "Follow the lights leading to your nearest exit in an orderly fashion". If only life were so simple? That we could control that sense of dread, fear, foreboding, cold sweats, heightened blood pressure and heart rate, that sinking in the pit of our bellies ( a sensation similar to that drop on a 40ft roller coaster, but without the adrenaline rush at the end, although there might be lots of screaming people during the attack, depending on the situation.)
2. Take a breath, take 10 deep breaths. I don't know about this one. When I am in a state of panic breathing seems to be the last thing on my mind! Actually the reverse seems to occur, held breath, blue face, bursting neck veins and the likes. Yet try to breathe if you can. Apparently it works....
3. Try not to think about people that upset you, annoy you, belittle you, or any other negative persons in your life. I know this is hard, and even thinking about this now is probably setting your heart at a faster pace. You probably said something to someone last night that you shouldn't have said, and they have told the person who told you that you said it, and now you are on a black list...but don't think about this or them. What is done is done. Sorry but it is true. It can not be retracted, denied or undone. All parties need to move on.
4. Take a Xanax before bed. We all know this is the time where the mind plays tricks, wakes up, branches off on tangents with delicate complex story lines, which we could not muster up the imagination for if we had to to write a screenplay for a thriller, horror film, or a TV series featuring Jason Priestly and/or Tori Spelling. Yet this creative intricate beast sparks in to being when we are ready to lay our sleepy heads down for the moonlit hours.
5. Read a book. Distract your mind. What ever!? As if this works! This leads to more branches for that overactive mind of yours. More characters, plots, discussions and subjects to apply to your own life. I think revert to number 4, this is still the most effective choice, but feel free to try this. If this is your option I would stick to business journals (unless you are worried about money or your future financially), the bible (unless you are Catholic and will be thrown in to further self flagellation due to crimes committed of the flesh, the mind, or any of the numerous sins laid out by the Papacy) or comic books. Comic Books are probably the best option, but try not to get carried away, you might have to refer to point 4 once it hits 3am.
6. Leave the room. This is not advised as it is running from the feeling, escaping it, denying it. Apparently we are advised to "own" the feeling. Let it run through you and then let it go. Hmmmm. That is what some doctor wrote in a moment of madness, who writes regular scripts for drugs like Zoloft, Prozac and other such SSRI drugs. Yet I say "Go!" Follow your instincts, you have those instincts for a reason. Or take the drugs, they are effective. This will actually sort out most of the panic issues.
7. Apparently herbal medications are also available. Take from that what you will. I have heard tales of this heightening your attacks though either at the time, or at a later date. They call it "flashback syndrome" or something like that. I just want to make sure you are aware of the risks.
8. Avoid alcohol. This is also known to heighten symptoms and reactions. Maybe this causes you to talk to that person about what you weren't supposed to talk to them about, which caused you to lose sleep and then lose your friend the next day. Maybe.....
9. Stay in doors. You could save yourself a lot of hassle and stay home. Avoid contact with people which in turn limits the amount of things you have to worry and panic about. This is very a last resort method and could turn bad if you have the attack and are all alone. Maybe dismiss this one! Yet I know I am more comfortable if I am home and having anxiety as opposed to being in a restaurant or somewhere public. Tough call.
10. Have a mantra to get you through the tummy twirls, nausea, bad thoughts, heart racing event. It will pass. You know it will pass. Keep telling yourself this. Over and over and over again....
Good Luck! It will all be fine and tomorrow is another a day. I feel your pain. You are not alone.
Panic attacks are episodes of intense fear or apprehension that are of sudden onset[1]and of relatively brief duration. Panic attacksusually begin abruptly, reach a peak within 10 minutes, and are mainly over within 30 minutes.
| Panic attack | |
|---|---|
| Classification and external resources | |
 In case of a person experiencing a panic attack,attempt to calm and reassure them. | |
| ICD-10 | F41.0 |
| ICD-9 | 300.01 |
| MeSH | D016584 |
1. Really this should be the golden rule, and that is simply "Don't Panic!" and "Follow the lights leading to your nearest exit in an orderly fashion". If only life were so simple? That we could control that sense of dread, fear, foreboding, cold sweats, heightened blood pressure and heart rate, that sinking in the pit of our bellies ( a sensation similar to that drop on a 40ft roller coaster, but without the adrenaline rush at the end, although there might be lots of screaming people during the attack, depending on the situation.)
2. Take a breath, take 10 deep breaths. I don't know about this one. When I am in a state of panic breathing seems to be the last thing on my mind! Actually the reverse seems to occur, held breath, blue face, bursting neck veins and the likes. Yet try to breathe if you can. Apparently it works....
3. Try not to think about people that upset you, annoy you, belittle you, or any other negative persons in your life. I know this is hard, and even thinking about this now is probably setting your heart at a faster pace. You probably said something to someone last night that you shouldn't have said, and they have told the person who told you that you said it, and now you are on a black list...but don't think about this or them. What is done is done. Sorry but it is true. It can not be retracted, denied or undone. All parties need to move on.
4. Take a Xanax before bed. We all know this is the time where the mind plays tricks, wakes up, branches off on tangents with delicate complex story lines, which we could not muster up the imagination for if we had to to write a screenplay for a thriller, horror film, or a TV series featuring Jason Priestly and/or Tori Spelling. Yet this creative intricate beast sparks in to being when we are ready to lay our sleepy heads down for the moonlit hours.
5. Read a book. Distract your mind. What ever!? As if this works! This leads to more branches for that overactive mind of yours. More characters, plots, discussions and subjects to apply to your own life. I think revert to number 4, this is still the most effective choice, but feel free to try this. If this is your option I would stick to business journals (unless you are worried about money or your future financially), the bible (unless you are Catholic and will be thrown in to further self flagellation due to crimes committed of the flesh, the mind, or any of the numerous sins laid out by the Papacy) or comic books. Comic Books are probably the best option, but try not to get carried away, you might have to refer to point 4 once it hits 3am.
6. Leave the room. This is not advised as it is running from the feeling, escaping it, denying it. Apparently we are advised to "own" the feeling. Let it run through you and then let it go. Hmmmm. That is what some doctor wrote in a moment of madness, who writes regular scripts for drugs like Zoloft, Prozac and other such SSRI drugs. Yet I say "Go!" Follow your instincts, you have those instincts for a reason. Or take the drugs, they are effective. This will actually sort out most of the panic issues.
7. Apparently herbal medications are also available. Take from that what you will. I have heard tales of this heightening your attacks though either at the time, or at a later date. They call it "flashback syndrome" or something like that. I just want to make sure you are aware of the risks.
8. Avoid alcohol. This is also known to heighten symptoms and reactions. Maybe this causes you to talk to that person about what you weren't supposed to talk to them about, which caused you to lose sleep and then lose your friend the next day. Maybe.....
9. Stay in doors. You could save yourself a lot of hassle and stay home. Avoid contact with people which in turn limits the amount of things you have to worry and panic about. This is very a last resort method and could turn bad if you have the attack and are all alone. Maybe dismiss this one! Yet I know I am more comfortable if I am home and having anxiety as opposed to being in a restaurant or somewhere public. Tough call.
10. Have a mantra to get you through the tummy twirls, nausea, bad thoughts, heart racing event. It will pass. You know it will pass. Keep telling yourself this. Over and over and over again....
Good Luck! It will all be fine and tomorrow is another a day. I feel your pain. You are not alone.
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