10 Tips for Overcoming Panic Attacks

Panic attacks can be debilitating, affecting every aspect of your professional, social, and personal life. The mental health professionals at Psycamore understand the havoc panic attacks can wreak on your life and we are here to support you in finding the freedom you deserve. 

Effective Techniques for Managing and Preventing Panic Attacks

We’re here to share some tips and techniques used to overcome anxiety attacks and reduce their intensity and frequency.

1. Familiarize Yourself with Your Attacks: Get to know your anxiety attacks, inside and out. Work to identify your common triggers and understand the early signs of a panic attack you most commonly experience. This could be increased heart rate, fast breathing, sweating, feeling faint, or other symptoms. Everyone’s signs are different but knowing when an attack is looming can help you intervene before it escalates.
   
2. Practice Diaphragmatic Breathing: Deep breathing exercises for panic attacks help regulate your breathing during an episode, calming your nervous system, and reduce the intensity of the attack. This is a great technique used to stop waves of panic attacks.
   
3. Progressive Muscle Relaxation: This is a method you can do anytime, anywhere. If  you’re able to sit, close your eyes, and practice this, your body will automatically relax. While working from a seated position while relaxed is best, if you find yourself in a stressful situation, you can engage in progressive muscle relaxation for panic attacks anytime. This technique involves tensing and then relaxing muscle groups, helping to alleviate physical tension associated with panic attacks. It’s easiest to work through one area of the body at a time, tensing and then relaxing.
   
4. Mindfulness and Meditation: Mindfulness and meditation focus on seeing your thoughts and feelings without judgement or attachment to them, so practicing can reduce the frequency of panic attacks over time. As you practice mindfulness, try to work on relaxation and visualization, which can be recalled during panic attacks to calm you.
   
5. Grounding Techniques: There are several grounding techniques you can utilize in the midst of a panic attack to help slow your racing thoughts, breathing, and help you focus on the here and now. When used properly, grounding techniques can reduce anxiety immediately. Practice using these so that they become habitual and are easily recalled during a panic attack.
   
6. Create a Safety Plan: It’s helpful to have friends and family who are aware of your panic attacks and how to best support you during and after one. Develop a plan with them, inform them of the techniques you use, and share how they can be most helpful.
   
7. Limit Stimulants: Stimulants can intensify panic attacks and even trigger them. Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and other stimulants that can trigger or worsen panic attacks.
   
8. Engage in Regular Exercise & Sleep: Exercise and physical activities can improve your mood and reduce anxiety. The release of endorphins that comes with exercise can help you head off panic attacks. Additionally, having a sleep routine where you get quality sleep will help reduce stress and assist you in emotional regulation, which are common triggers for anxiety. Establish a bedtime routine that involves soothing activities and avoiding screen-time a few hours before bed  – this can help calm anxiety attacks at night.
   
9. Seek Social Support: A strong support network of friends, family, and support groups can make all the difference in managing and providing support for panic attacks. You need to know that you have emotional support and practical help in managing your panic attacks.
   
10. Professional Help: Consult with a Psycamore mental health professional who specializes in anxiety disorders and panic attacks. We offer a wide range of services that can be utilized in your personalized treatment plan to reduce panic attacks.

Anxiety Treatment, Jackson, MS

For the professional mental health support you need to reduce your panic attacks and anxiety, visit us at Psycamore. With offices in Columbus, Southaven, Flowood, and Biloxi, our licensed anxiety psychologists are here to help!