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Panic attacks can be scary and may hit you quickly. Here are the strategies you can use to try to stop or manage panic attacks. Some may help you in the moment, while others can help in the longer term.
1. Seek Counselling: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)and other types of counseling can often help people who have panic attacks and who have panic disorders. CBT aims to help you change the way you see challenging or frightening situations and to help you find new ways to approach these challenges as they arise.
You can find CBT for individuals or groups,online or face-to-face, and the length of treatment can also vary. In exposure-based CBT,your therapist will expose you to something that can trigger a panic attack and help you work your way through it.
2. Take Medications: Benzodiazepines,such as alprazolam (Xanax), can help treat the symptoms of panic when they occur.Because benzodiazepines are a prescription medication, you’ll likely need a panic disorder diagnosis to have the medication on hand. ONLY TAKE MEDICATION IF YOUR DOCTOR HAS PRESCRIBED IT.
3. Use Deep Breathing: While hyperventilating is a symptom of panic attacks that can increase fear, deep breathing can reduce symptoms of panic during an attack.
In one study, published in 2017, 40 people joined either a therapy group that involved deep or diaphragmatic breathing or a control group.After 20 intensive training sessions, those who practiced deep breathing saw improvements in their attention levels and emotional well-being.
“Focus on taking deep breaths in and out through your mouth,feeling the air slowly fill your chest and belly and then slowly leave them again. Breathe in for a count of four,hold for a second, and then breathe out for a count of four.”
4. Recognise That You’re Having A Panic Attack: By recognizing that you’re having a panic attack instead of a heart attack, you can remind yourself that this is temporary, it will pass,and that you’re OKAY.
Take away the fear that you may be dying or that impending doom is looming,both symptoms of panic attacks.This can allow you to focus on other techniques to reduce your symptoms.