How to Reduce the Severity of Panic Attacks
Know what a panic attack is., Consider external factors, such as stress., Develop your own list of coping techniques., Get a checkup., Exercise., Try changing your diet., Cut back on caffeine consumption., Consider therapy., Exercise and get plenty...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Know what a panic attack is.
Work to better understand what happens in our bodies before, during and after a panic attack, what triggers anxiety & panic attacks, and the techniques you could experiment with for minimizing the attacks in severity and duration.
When we, as human, perceive some kind of threat to something we care about, we have an instinctive chemical reaction triggered by our emotional mind before our cognitive mind can clearly assess the situation.
When the chemical reactions fire, our body quickly makes ready to fight, flight or freeze, accelerating our heart rate, increasing our adrenalin and reducing our ability to think.
When that reaction is overwhelming, we act on our impulses, fighting, fleeing or freezing.
A panic attack can feel very much like being frozen, unable to think clearly or move forward productively.
A single panic attack based on an intense situation is not uncommon.
If panic attacks seem to be more frequent and less situationally appropriate, checking a with doctor is a good idea. -
Step 2: Consider external factors
'Stress is one of many factors that can trigger an imbalance in the production of neurotransmitters in the brain, creating frequent activation of the flight, flight or freeze impulses.
This can feel like an irrational sense of impending doom that is common with panic attacks.
Try different ways to reduce your exposure to the stressors which seem to trigger your panic attacks.
Reducing stress can make it easier for the body to rebalance neurotransmitter production, and you should see the attacks begin to wane both in severity and in frequency. , Research has shown, for example, that anxiety generated by a fear of death can be reduced with mental imagery of flying., Beyond the normal reactivity of the emotional brain, some panic attacks are triggered by the malfunction of some organ or system in the body.
For example, an underactive or overactive thyroid gland may be the root cause of the attacks.
When this is the case, treating the underlying physical cause may in turn reduce the severity of the attacks as the body begins to respond to that treatment. , Research has shown repeatedly that regular exercise, even just walking for 30 minutes a day, can dramatically improve physical and mental health. , Reducing fats will often make it easier to avoid more stress on the body in general while also paving the way for the consumption of foods that are high in nutrients that your nervous system needs to function properly.
Green leafy vegetables offer significant amounts of B vitamins and certain minerals that can have a calming effect on the nervous system and help promote healing over time.
Eating these will cause the severity and frequency of panic attacks to reduce. , For some people, minimizing the use of coffee, tea and other beverages that contain caffeine will avoid additional stress on an already overworked nervous system and help reduce the chances of experiencing a panic attack.
Substitute with beverages that are enjoyable but are free of caffeine, such as herbal fusions, juices or flavored waters. , Many different types of therapy are used to help people overcome anxiety and panic disorders.
Over time therapy can reduce the severity of panic attacks, usually by helping people change how they react to the onset of an attack.
While not every type of therapy is ideal for every situation, just about all panic sufferers benefit from counseling or talk therapy, as well as other approaches like cognitive behavior therapy. , Although anxiety sufferers often experience a severe reduction in energy, taking time every day for short periods of exercise will help restore order to the brain and promote proper production of neurotransmitters, helping to reduce panic attacks over time.
Restful sleep does wonders for your body and mind and will help reduce the incidence of panic attacks significantly. , Anti-anxiety medication is not a cure but is very helpful in minimizing the symptoms that manifest during anxiety and panic disorders and will often help reduce the severity of a panic attack.
Only take the medication as recommended by a physician and do not exceed the allowed daily dosage.
Report any negative side effects to your doctor, since a change to a different medication may allow you to enjoy the benefits without experiencing the side effects. , Even though your heart may be racing and there is a sense that death is about to happen, that is simply your overworked nerves playing a trick on you.
You've probably been through attacks before and survived them, and remembering that will often allow you to begin calming down and end the present attack sooner rather than later. -
Step 3: such as stress.
-
Step 4: Develop your own list of coping techniques.
-
Step 5: Get a checkup.
-
Step 6: Exercise.
-
Step 7: Try changing your diet.
-
Step 8: Cut back on caffeine consumption.
-
Step 9: Consider therapy.
-
Step 10: Exercise and get plenty of sleep.
-
Step 11: Use medication.
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Step 12: Remember that people don't die from panic attacks.
Detailed Guide
Work to better understand what happens in our bodies before, during and after a panic attack, what triggers anxiety & panic attacks, and the techniques you could experiment with for minimizing the attacks in severity and duration.
When we, as human, perceive some kind of threat to something we care about, we have an instinctive chemical reaction triggered by our emotional mind before our cognitive mind can clearly assess the situation.
When the chemical reactions fire, our body quickly makes ready to fight, flight or freeze, accelerating our heart rate, increasing our adrenalin and reducing our ability to think.
When that reaction is overwhelming, we act on our impulses, fighting, fleeing or freezing.
A panic attack can feel very much like being frozen, unable to think clearly or move forward productively.
A single panic attack based on an intense situation is not uncommon.
If panic attacks seem to be more frequent and less situationally appropriate, checking a with doctor is a good idea.
'Stress is one of many factors that can trigger an imbalance in the production of neurotransmitters in the brain, creating frequent activation of the flight, flight or freeze impulses.
This can feel like an irrational sense of impending doom that is common with panic attacks.
Try different ways to reduce your exposure to the stressors which seem to trigger your panic attacks.
Reducing stress can make it easier for the body to rebalance neurotransmitter production, and you should see the attacks begin to wane both in severity and in frequency. , Research has shown, for example, that anxiety generated by a fear of death can be reduced with mental imagery of flying., Beyond the normal reactivity of the emotional brain, some panic attacks are triggered by the malfunction of some organ or system in the body.
For example, an underactive or overactive thyroid gland may be the root cause of the attacks.
When this is the case, treating the underlying physical cause may in turn reduce the severity of the attacks as the body begins to respond to that treatment. , Research has shown repeatedly that regular exercise, even just walking for 30 minutes a day, can dramatically improve physical and mental health. , Reducing fats will often make it easier to avoid more stress on the body in general while also paving the way for the consumption of foods that are high in nutrients that your nervous system needs to function properly.
Green leafy vegetables offer significant amounts of B vitamins and certain minerals that can have a calming effect on the nervous system and help promote healing over time.
Eating these will cause the severity and frequency of panic attacks to reduce. , For some people, minimizing the use of coffee, tea and other beverages that contain caffeine will avoid additional stress on an already overworked nervous system and help reduce the chances of experiencing a panic attack.
Substitute with beverages that are enjoyable but are free of caffeine, such as herbal fusions, juices or flavored waters. , Many different types of therapy are used to help people overcome anxiety and panic disorders.
Over time therapy can reduce the severity of panic attacks, usually by helping people change how they react to the onset of an attack.
While not every type of therapy is ideal for every situation, just about all panic sufferers benefit from counseling or talk therapy, as well as other approaches like cognitive behavior therapy. , Although anxiety sufferers often experience a severe reduction in energy, taking time every day for short periods of exercise will help restore order to the brain and promote proper production of neurotransmitters, helping to reduce panic attacks over time.
Restful sleep does wonders for your body and mind and will help reduce the incidence of panic attacks significantly. , Anti-anxiety medication is not a cure but is very helpful in minimizing the symptoms that manifest during anxiety and panic disorders and will often help reduce the severity of a panic attack.
Only take the medication as recommended by a physician and do not exceed the allowed daily dosage.
Report any negative side effects to your doctor, since a change to a different medication may allow you to enjoy the benefits without experiencing the side effects. , Even though your heart may be racing and there is a sense that death is about to happen, that is simply your overworked nerves playing a trick on you.
You've probably been through attacks before and survived them, and remembering that will often allow you to begin calming down and end the present attack sooner rather than later.
About the Author
Jennifer Sanchez
A passionate writer with expertise in cooking topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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