How To Stop Panic Attacks
As part of being humans, we all have the element of fears. The difference is that not everyone can deal with these fears in a logical, healthy way. For some people the fear of something happening takes over their lives and they find it difficult to go on with daily activities.
Panic attacks don’t always manifest in a way that makes someone running, screaming, or doing anything beyond the normal. The manifestations of panic attacks can be disguised as temper tantrums, asthma attacks, outbursts of negativity and other negative behaviors.
Panic Attacks can get so severe that people affected by it find their lives hard to live with. Many victims don’t have the idea how to stop panic attacks. As a result the symptoms worsen over time.
If you’re aware you are prone to panic attacks, there are things that you can do to prevent them from happening. Here are a few tips that can help you prevent panic attacks before they start.
1. Know what triggers your panic attack. Know what exactly causes into uncontrollable panic this way you should be prepared if you sense it coming. While there are a lot of triggers for a panic attacks, most attacks are caused by a state of someone being either out of control in a given situation, or by feeling physically threatened, particularly when situations are unstable or unknown/strange. There are more triggers to such attacks but the key here is to know what your environment holds that mostly ignite the spark of an attack so that you will be able to walk away before it goes over you.
2. Be Aware of the signs of panic attacks. Some of the usual signs of panic attacks includes rapid heart rate, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath and hyperventilation, chills, hot flashes, nausea, abdominal cramping, chest pain, headache, dizziness, faintness, tightness in your throat, trouble swallowing, a sense of impending death. If you’ve been in one of this situations before you know it’s time to take a break from whatever you’re doing. You may take a walk and relax for a while before resuming on what you’re doing. Otherwise, if symptoms persist it is better to seek medical treatments or advise from concerned doctors.
3. Control it. When you feel you’re heading on a panic attack, you can actually stop it before it starts. You should already know when you‘re headed into unfamiliar or unstable conditions for yourself.
More often, your friends or other people around you may not be able to relate with this if you try to tell them you don’t want to enter into a situation you are not secure with. They’ll advise you to do it anyway, and that they’ll encourage you to get over your fears.
But the real problem is that this situation causes your brain to utilize needed neurotransmitter resources to face the situation. When this happens, it makes your brain unavailable to function for self-regulation, temper, and even physical needs. As a result there is little you can do except let it go once the attack starts to manifest. Your body will now need to recover to the normal neurotransmitter levels which may take between 15 to 20 minutes, provided that the provoking environment or situation is taken away during that 15-20 minutes of time. In this cases, it is a better prevent the attacks than to face go and “get over it”.
4. Take a break. Always take a break when it is needed especially when things get too overwhelming or hard to handle. Take some walks. Also it is important to get plenty of sleep. It’s been observed by medical professionals that sleep deprivation robs you of the same brain elements you need to self-regulate and sustain self-control.
5. Maintain the right diet. Keep away from situations where you will be using stored energy and try maintaining a body state where you maintain and utilize easily accessible energy sources. That means a diet rich in complex carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, whole grains), and proteins.
6. Make yourself busy. Keep your brain operating at its best especially in the places where you know panic attacks normally occur. It is also important to keep busy and focus your mind on other things. Things like puzzles or reading can help keep the mind stimulated and sharp.
7. Control your environment. For example, if you are cold, get warm. If it is hot, cool off, but don’t get chilled or cold! It is a good idea to always have a light sweater or jacket available to put on and take off as your body signals the need.