How to Deal With Anxiety Episodes

Anyone who’s been through one wants to know how to deal with panic episodes.  Here are a few tips to at least get you started on successfully moving beyond anxiety attacks.

It’s possible to get beyond these episodes  They’ll be ancient history.

Before we go on, remember that it’s important to see your doctor if you haven’t already.  Some physical problems can mimic a panic episode but aren’t.  You need to make sure you don’t have anything like that. 

When that’s over with and you’ve had the work up and you know you’re not sick, you can move on to handling the panic attacks.

Here Are Some Ways To Do It

You probably already know about it but I’ll mention deep breathing again here because it is both basic and important.  For reasons that aren’t clear, most people don’t breath properly.  With anxiety] [disorders proper breathing is even more important because hyperventilation worsens the physical symptoms.

Also, focusing on your breathing changes your focus away from your fearful thoughts.

You can get more information on How to Stop a Panic Attack at that link.  Here I want to give you a very useful technique.

Stop the Automatic Thoughts

Anxiety can become a chain event because the first minor symptoms trigger the fear that a full-blown episode might be starting.   This in turn worsens the symptoms, which…  

You see how that might go.

A way to halt this cycle is to take the perspective of like a third party observer rather than a participant. 

You’ve had a complete physical so you know mentally that you’re physically not at risk.

You’ve also had these events before and realize that as horrible as they seem you survive them.

Use this knowledge to let yourself to simply what’s going on instead of getting caught up in it.  You’ve had an anxiety attack before and you got through so you realize you’ll likely survive this.

Watch yourself having the symptoms almost like you’re someone else rather than the person experiencing the event  Experiencing fear about the possibility of having a panic attack will only make it worse.

Some people are able to adapt this detached attitude by imagining they’re watching the event on a stage rather experiencing it directly.  This detached attitudehelps them keep a balanced attitude and realize that their fear isn’t stemming from any real danger.

Having been through anxiety episodes in the past without anything terrible happening gives reason to question the validity of the current anxiety episode.

Cognitive therapists often use these rational thoughts to help people defuse the fearful thoughts that accompany a panic attack.

A therapist is very helpful but many people do it on their own.

A Great Resource

Of course this is only one idea.  I found a review of an excellent program to free yourself from panic attacks that I highly recommend you check out.  Just click that link.

Keep in mind that if you don’t identify with with the panic attack you reduce its ability to upset you.

One of the most important things you can do about panic attacks is to become knowledgable.  Stack the deck in your favor.  Go to Panic Attack Release.