Anxiety Attacks - What Can You Do About Your Panic Attacks? The Answer is a Lot!

Apr 14
07:48

2009

Bertil Hjert

Bertil Hjert

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Learn strategies that you can apply in your daily life to help control anxiety. You can prevent, control and recover from the fear that strikes you as you are living your life. Go back out again, enjoy life and use these to help you conquer your fears.

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There are so many different ways to cope with panic attacks,Anxiety Attacks - What Can You Do About Your Panic Attacks? The Answer is a Lot!   Articles anxiety and phobias; it´s simply a matter of choosing what works best for you and sticking with it. Sometimes, figuring out the best techniques for you will take some trial and error, don´t be discouraged, you will find something that works for you.
  
While many doctors prescribe medications to treat anxiety problems, there are proven ways to cope with many phobias, panic attacks and other anxiety conditions without using medications.
 
One of the first things you can do is start an exercise program and change your diet. Sometimes the nutrition we put in our bodies is actually fueling our panic attacks. Too much caffeine, nicotine or other stimulants can cause edginess, anxiety and paranoia. 

A diet too high in refined sugars can cause us to be hyped up all day, helping to fuel anxiety or panic. In addition to changing your diet, a regular exercise program can be a great way to relieve stress and improve your overall health.

By learning strategies that you can apply in your daily life to help control anxiety, you can learn to prevent, control and recover from the fear that strikes you as you are living your life. So go back out again, enjoy life and use these to help you conquer your fears.

The following strategies may help you to manage your fears, anxieties, phobias and panic attacks:

• Abdominal Breathing
• Progressive Muscle Relaxation Training
• Regular Aerobic Exercise
• Managing your thoughts through Meditation
• Imagery Desensitization
• Identifying and Expressing feelings
• Developing assertiveness skills
• Developing self-nurturing skills
• Changing your diet
• Finding a Good Support Person (or Support Network)

Finding a support person may not seem like an obvious coping strategy but having someone you can rely on and trust is a good way to go out and confront fears. Your support person can provide the reassurance you need to engage in activities that make you anxious.

Consider who will meet your needs by thinking about these factors:

• Are you comfortable discussing your problems with this person?

• Does this person listen to you and support you without judging or belittling you?

• Does this person understand panic disorder or whatever anxiety problem you are dealing with or are they willing to learn?

• Can this person take the time to support you?

When you rush to the hospital with your panic attack, you may be given medications. However, generally panic attacks are treated with relaxation techniques and reassurance. 

Relaxation is the basis for any foundation to deal with panic attacks, GAD or any other phobia. Relaxation is not simply zoning out in front of the TV or having a tub of popcorn; it is deep, mind relaxation. Think meditation or yoga type relaxation where you reach a state of mind and body calm. 

Deep relaxation on a daily basis allows your body and mind to experience the complete opposite sensations of a panic attack. Your heart rate, respiration rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, metabolic rate and analytical thinking all decrease as you free your mind and body into this deep state. 

Practicing deep relaxation through meditation for 20-30 minutes everyday can provide not only a reduction in your generalized anxiety, and panic attacks but also can prevent stress from becoming cumulative, increase your energy level, improve concentration and increase self-confidence. 

This is a powerful tool in combating the emotional rigors of daily life. It is important you stick with deep relaxation, you might not see a change for several weeks or even months but over time you will notice a deeper calm and happiness in your life. You may not be cured of panic attacks but you will experience them less frequently and you will find yourself better able to cope with them and recover from the experience. 

There are many ways to achieve a state of deep relaxation. The easiest way is to probably join a meditation or yoga class that focuses on meditation and have someone guide you through the process. However, there are things you can do at home on your own time to help you achieve this deep state of relaxation. 

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