10 Techniques To Help You Survive A Panic Attack

Suffering panic attacks can be a frightening and often debilitating experience. They can come on regularly when triggered by something in particular, or out of the blue. The common disorder affects about six million Americans annually. Symptoms vary, but can include a racing heartbeat, dizziness, nervousness, shortness of breath, sweating, and a feeling of being out of control. There are some techniques to prevent an attack from occurring.

10. “Don’t Believe Everything You Think”

Panic attacks can come with unrealistic, incoherent, or disturbing thoughts. It may feel like these thoughts are out of control and will end with catastrophic results. The best way to de-escalate is to realize these thoughts are not real, they are a figment of the imagination, and are a result of the brain’s connection to the panic disorder. It is merely a symptom, similar to an itch from a bug bite.

9. Ground Yourself

Sometimes a symptom will manifest itself as an unrealistic feeling of disorientation or a feeling of being out-of-this-world. If that happens, grounding oneself back to reality is an effective solution. If a person feels like he or she is flying or if objects around them are moving when they should be static, it can help to touch something nearby. Some suggestions include taking keys out of a pocket or sitting on a park bench.