Tips For Getting Through An Anxiety Attack
When you are having an anxiety or panic attack, you may feel like you can’t get through it. Some say it feels like a heart attack. My hubs did and we even made a trip to the ER years before we were married and had kids. I have shared my daily struggle with anxiety before. Anxiety attacks are a scary thing to go through but there are ways to deal with them and you WILL get through them. Here are some tips that help me get through my anxiety attacks.
Tips For Getting Through An Anxiety Attack
Recognize that it is an anxiety attack
Everyone goes through different kinds of attacks but the most common symptoms of anxiety or panic attacks are:
- Racing heart
- Chest pain
- Shortens of breath / Tightness of chest
- Flushed skin
- Dizzy / Lightheaded
- Shaking
- Tingling sensations in your body
- Hot flashes and/or chills
- Fear that you may die, something is wrong with you, or that you are crazy
- Nausea
- Choking sensation
Know that you WILL get through them
This one is the most important to me. When I repeat to myself over and over again that I WILL get through an attack, it helps me feel better because I know it will end soon, especially after going through my list of calming techniques below.
Switch your thinking
This tip also goes along with the one above – remind yourself that you have gotten through the attacks before.
You may feel like you are having a heart attack or even an asthma attack. I literally thought I was developing asthma a few years ago because my attacks were changing from what I was ‘used to’.
Tell yourself, “My heart is racing because I am panicking.” “I can’t breathe right because my heart is pounding so hard and my chest is tight.”
Move on to breathing techniques to help regulate your breathing and to calm down your heart.
Breathing techniques
Breathing techniques are a way to help regulate your breathing and essentially calm you down. I have had some panic attacks so bad that I was hyperventilating and my body was going numb. It may take a few breaths before you get the hang of it and start to feel it. Concentrating on breathing helps your mind switch off the panicky thoughts as well as calm your heart.
- Using your fingers, plug one nostril and take a slow deep breath in, counting to 5, and then switch nostrils and slowly breathe out. Repeat until you feel calmer.
- Another way is to lay on the bed with your feet elevated, one hand on your belly, then close your eyes and simply focus on slow, deep breaths.
Diffuse essential oils
Many essential oils are great for anxiety and stress relief and I love diffusing them. Not only do the scents help to relax you make you and give you a sense of peace, it also makes the house smell amazing! Lavender, Frankincense, Bergamot, Patchouli, Chamomile, Rose, Sandalwood, and Clary Sage are my top picks.
Put on some soothing music or even sounds of nature
The sounds of ocean waves help me out tremendously. The app for my non-wearable sleep monitor has it on there and I just play that. Focusing on the sounds of the waves coming in and out while doing breathing techniques is amazing. You can do a search on YouTube for different music and sounds.
Medications
Sometimes the anxiety attacks come so frequent and eventually take over your life. You may feel the need to seek out medication. I personally have never been put on a prescription for them because I didn’t seek it out. I have found though some homeopathic alternatives for myself that seem to help take the edge off of the panicky feelings and allow me to go through my calming techniques so the attacks do not turn into full blown ones. I did a simple Amazon.com search for homeopathic anxiety relief and found a ton of options.
If the patients notice such unusual reactions as increased aggressiveness, acute excitement, fear, suicidal thoughts, hallucinations, muscle cramps, difficulty falling asleep and shallow sleep, the treatment with Xanax should be stopped. Read more about it on .
There is nothing wrong with feeling like you need something extra to help you get through the anxiety. Talk to your doctor or seek out a therapist about the different options for you.
Minimize Your Stress
Minimizing your stress is much easier said than done but there are little things that you can do and change to help minimize the frequency of attacks.
- Avoid caffeine, smoking, and other stimulants because they can actually cause anxiety attacks
I noticed that I am sensitive to caffeine and so my anxiety attacks would come not long after drinking a cup or 2 of coffee. I started blending my favorite coffee with decaf coffee to help lessen the caffeine. I rarely have the horrible panicked feeling in the mornings anymore because the caffeine isn’t making my heart race and my breathing tight.
Breathing technique totally work for me and getting out of the situation that brought on my anxiety attack in the first place. I’m former military and can’t stand crowds. I absolutely hate them so I go food shopping at 3am in the morning when Walmart is empty or I send my kids or hubby to Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s if I want something else. If I’m there and the crowd seems too much, I feel like someone is out to get me and I would head back to my car and BREATHE.
I am sorry you have to go through these too. It’s crazy how anxiety and panic can take over anyone’s mind and body – regardless of what gender you identify with, race, religion, etc…even ex-military. 🙁 I am so happy to hear that breathing techniques do work for you.
I use to have anxiety attack due to past event, but have not since about 2010. It was nerve wracking. These are good tips.
Thank you, Alicia. I’m so sorry that you had to deal with that but happy to hear you were able to defeat it.
These are great tips. Having anxiety is rough for sure.
Anxiety and stress is a horrible thing to live with.
This has got to be tough to deal with. You shared so many great ideas I’m sure they’ll help someone.
Thanks so much, Saidah. I really hope so.
It is my hope that it does…thank you so much
These are amazing tips for getting through anxiety attack! It can be so hard to get through an attack when they hit.
It is definitely hard. Thank you, Tammilee.
Great advice! Breathing techniques work so well! Quitting coffee has also helped me feel a lot more calm in my everyday life.
Nellwyn | http://www.thecardinalpress.com
Thank you. I’m not sure I can give up coffee completely but toning down the caffeine has helped a ton! I’m glad you were able to and it has helped you.
These seem to be very helpful tips for getting through an aniexty attack. When I feel stressed breathing deeply has really helped me calm myself
Thank you…I am so glad to hear that you are able to get through the attacks using breathing techniques.
Such great tips! I agree that breathing helps and also learning to know what triggers the attacks can help. It will force you to take a step back and try to control certain factors.
That is so definitely true. Even though I know what most of my attacks are about, breathing helps every time.
I don’t suffer from anxiety but have a tremendous amount of empathy for those that do. These are really great tips and I know the breathing is good for the soul so I can see where that would really help alleviate some of it.
You are so very lucky that you don’t suffer from anxiety! Breathing is a great way to relieve stress.
Everytime I had anxiety attacks, I think of other things such as my future plans and good times with hubby and son.
Those are great ideas, too. Thanks so much for sharing them with us!
I am so thankful that I don’t have anxiety attacks! I know people who do and they seem scary. Your tips sound very helpful for dealing with them.
You are definitely one of the lucky ones and I’m so glad that you don’t either.
My daughter has had anxiety attacks before. They’re definitely not fun to go through.
No, they really aren’t and I wouldn’t wish them on anyone. But being there for someone who does suffer from them is very helpful.
Breathing and essentials oils really helps me. Tragic events in the world tend to trigger me as well, so when it gets really bad I leave Facebook for awhile and avoid the news.
That is so true about Facebook…it tends to get full of drama and I have to stop scrolling and just click out. I am glad to hear that you have found ways to deal with your anxiety.
I can’t even imagine what it must be like for someone that lives with this daily. I know a girl that gets anxiety attacks and she hates going out in big crowds. These tips are great and I will be sure to share them.
Thank you, Marielle. It is definitely no picnic. I hope this post is able to help your friend. I also hate crowds, going anywhere alone and don’t even drive because of anxiety.
I actually use the very same diffuser and I love it. It helps me sleep so much better than I ever have!
Awesome! I have never used it through the night because the hubs doesn’t care for essential oils so I normally use them while he is at work. I should find one he can tolerate though since I know it would help both of us get a better sleep.
Panic attacks are the WORST! I get them as well, and I find that the best remedy is distraction. I just try and get my mind to focus on something else (which is VERY difficult) and remind myself that it will pass.
Distractions are great…and yes, it is very difficult to focus on something else. That’s why I like to control it by breathing and then I can concentrate. BIG HUGS
Glad I don’t have anxiety attacks! Definitely sounds scary. Good to know the tips though.
I am glad that you don’t suffer with them either!
Diffusing oils is “essential” for me. Pun intended.
Haha..yes, definitely 😉
I have been dealing with anxiety for the past few months after nearly having a car accident. It is frustrating especially when I am driving. I keep pushing forward, but if I am going to far a distance the anxiousness kicks in. I help myself by pulling over, listening to comforting music, praying, and knowing that I will make it to my destination.
Even though you are dealing with awful anxiety, I am glad you are able to push yourself through it and continue on. Hopefully soon you will be able to drive without so much anxiety again. Thank you for sharing your story.
Anxiety can be awful. Getting away from the situation and focusing on your breathing can be great. I once had a really bad heart-attack style one when in work, in child-care DURING an inspection. So I couldn’t leave, and fearing for the children and being away of my own inability in that moment to be minding their safe-keeping as I was meant to only fed it. it was a nightmare.
Mine are not normally that bad thankfully. I find sitting down, fresh air/space and holding my hands cupped over my mouth to regulate my breathing helps me come around.
Great post. Thanks for sharing
Katie from #MMBH
I’m so sorry you had to go through that. It sounds like it was absolutely horrible. 🙁 The hands cupped over the mouth sounds like it could work for me. I will have to try to remember that if I need it. Thank you for sharing your story.
It’s so easy to let your anxiety take full control. These are really good tips for getting through a panic attack when they ensue despite our best efforts. Thanks for posting this!
That is so true, Morgan. Thanks so much.
Although insomnia is the most common sleep complaint, it is not a single sleep disorder. It’s more accurate to think of insomnia as a symptom of another problem, which differs from person to person. It could be something as simple as drinking too much caffeine during the day or a more complex issue like an underlying medical condition or feeling overloaded with responsibilities.
So true. I am sensitive to caffeine so can’t drink it anytime past lunch or I will definitely have a hard time winding down for the evening.
Remembering to breathe during an anxiety attack can really help it pass. Letting someone you trust that you suffer from anxiety is helpful so if you have an attack they can help you through it. Thanks for sharing!
It’s so true. Breathing techniques really help me through them because I’m more focused on breathing than anything else.
Mental or emotional health refers to your overall psychological well-being. It includes the way you feel about yourself, the quality of your relationships, and your ability to manage your feelings and deal with difficulties.
Yes, and when you suffer from anxiety, it can really interfere with all of that.
We often use the expression ‘I feel depressed’ when we’re feeling sad or miserable about life. Usually, these feelings pass in due course. But, if the feelings are interfering with your life and don’t go away after a couple of weeks, or if they come back, over and over again, for a few days at a time, it could be a sign that you’re depressed in the medical sense of the term.In its mildest form, depression can mean just being in low spirits. It doesn’t stop you leading your normal life, but makes everything harder to do and seem less worthwhile. At its most severe, major depression (clinical depression) can be life-threatening, because it can make you feel suicidal or simply give up the will to live.
Have a routine. When people feel down, they can get into poor sleep patterns, staying up late and sleeping during the day. Try to get up at your normal time and stick to your routine as much as possible. Not having a routine can affect your eating. You may stop cooking regular meals, eat snacks throughout the day instead or miss breakfast because you’re still in bed.
Routine is key for a lot of things, anxiety included. Fortunately, I have never personally suffered from depression but I have had to help someone very close to me through it.
Anxiety is interesting, because it tends to get worse when you try to fight it. It’s not clear why that occurs, but most likely the stress that your body goes through in order to control the stress of anxiety only makes it worse, as does the effort it takes to try to not feel your natural feelings.
You just hit the nail on the head. I’ve had anxiety attacks just from worrying that I was going to have an attack! Fighting it does make it worse & people trying to tell you to “just get over it” does as well.
Many people with depression don’t have the typical symptoms. Learn about the causes and treatment of atypical depression, with symptoms that include weight gain, sleeping too much, and feeling anxious.From chronic illnesses such as heart disease to pain perception, sex, and sleep — discover how untreated depression can complicate your life.
Many people with depression don’t have the typical symptoms. Learn about the causes and treatment of atypical depression, with symptoms that include weight gain, sleeping too much, and feeling anxious.From chronic illnesses such as heart disease to pain perception, sex, and sleep — discover how untreated depression can complicate your life.
You’ve hit it dead on! You have to be able to re-direct your focus and to change your routine at that moment. For me, it helps to just sing. It works on many levels.
Thanks for this!