Free Tips Coping During Panic

Panic attacks can be very frightening. These free tips coping during panic should hopefully help you. Someone who gets panic attacks will need all the help they can get.

Changing Thoughts

Try to be conscious of your thoughts and remain positive. Up to this point, you've probably had negative thoughts. This is understandable, and in fact, quite natural. Slowly change this.

Instead of thinking 'what if' thoughts, start thinking 'so what' thoughts. Don't think, "What if it gets worse? What if I make a fool of myself?" Instead, think, "So what if it's happening. It will pass soon." Focus on the positive, flush negative thoughts down the toilet.

Tell yourself you've survived it before and that you will survive it again. Tell yourself it's normal for you. This is your body. This is what you have. Let it be there and accept it.

Allow yourself permission to feel this way. Embrace it. Stay in this moment with your feelings. As it is happening, take a step back, slow down and see how far "it" can go.

After it passes, praise yourself for surviving it again. You always will. And never be stingy with praise. Panic is difficult. You've survived it. Let yourself know. Feel good about it.

When an attack strikes, immediately try to think, "Ok, here's a chance to practice these free tips coping during panic." Every panic attack is a chance to practice and get better. It's harder if attacks are few and far between though.

Abdominal Breathing

Practice your breathing BEFORE panic strikes. Panic tends to make someone hyperventilate, making the situation worse. If you do special abdominal breathing, it should help when an attack hits you.

Take a slow, deep breath with your nose. Imagine the air going into your tummy, not your lungs. Watch your tummy swell with air. Don't let your chest swell. Practice this slowly.

Hold for 3 or 4 seconds, then gently release the air through your mouth. Let the exhalation part of the exercise be slightly longer than the inhalation. Don't overdo it. If you feel dizzy, stop.

When having an attack, instead of going tense, let go. Don't fight it. You can't. Instead, accept it and go absolutely limp. Just flow with it and let go completely. Just think to yourself, "Go limp."

These are all things that will help. It takes time, it takes practice. And it's certainly not easy. In fact, it is very, very difficult. That's why you need to practice, practice, practice.

If you keep at it, you will manage an attack better. And when you do, the fear of it gets less and less. Hopefully, these free tips coping during panic will make a change in your life.

10 Simple Solutions to Panic: How to Overcome Panic Attacks, Calm Physical Symptoms, and Reclaim Your Life Anxiety experts Martin M. Antony, Ph.D. and Randi E. McCabe Ph.D., provide readers who have at one time or another experienced seemingly unexplainable, intense mental and physical attacks of overwhelming fear with 10 simple and proven strategies for combatting panic attacks. Print advertising. 10-city radio tour. Mailing to 50,000 mental health and medical professionals.

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