What are some calming techniques for anxiety and panic attacks?

Question

I have panic attacks and anxiety when i'm in public and in big groups. What are some ways i can calm down?

Answer 1

You can visit your doctor to see whether anti-anxiety medication is an option. My panic attacks are at night which prevents me from sleeping so I have been prescribed Tamazepam. This may not be an option for you during the day but there are many medications out there that you and your doctor can discuss. For more natural solutions visit a homeopath or you can take Bachs flower remedy which can be useful, I take it before meetings and it does work although I am left with a headache approx. one afterwards. Breathing techniques can help as can meditation as you will be able to take you to a more comfortable zone in your head. Good luck.

Answer 2

Try taking deep breathes from the belly area. Place your hands on your lower belly area (around the belly button) and concentrate on filling the lungs so deeply with air that the belly pushes out. Hold fro 2 -4 counts and slowly exhale. Do this several times. If you can sit or stand in quiet, dark spot while doing this it might be easier. Maybe turn on some soft calming music. When you feel like you have slowed your breathe, sit quietly for a few minutes and then make some warm tea and sit and quietly sip it. If you can find a warm water pool nearby see if they have anyone who teaches Yoga or Ai Chi in the water. If not, see if you can find someone who teaches Yoga or Tai Chi on land. These type of classes teach one how to calm the body and mind. Good luck.....namaste' (which means: let the light in me honor the light in you)

Answer 3

Remembering to breath is one of the most difficult but most important.

If you are walking thorugh the crowd try focusing on one person in front of you instead of the whole crowd. Something unusual like the woman with the ugliest dress you have ever seen. Make up a story about it so that you can zone out a bit.

Head to the bathroom for a few minutes if you get overwhelmed. Everybody has to go to the bathroom. People don't have to know why you are going unless you go too often.

Choose your shopping times wisely. Stopping after work to grab stuff is not an ideal time because EVERYBODY does it.

Carry something in your pocket that helps you to ground. Something people don't notice. Or wear something. I like to play with beaded bracelets when I have to sit through meetings or lectures. Only other people who have the same issues know what i am up to. Other people just think I am fidgity. Which i also am.

Doodle if you have to sit. It looks as if you are taking notes and you would be amazed at the number of people who have to doodle to ge through something like a lecture. Many of them are very intelligent people. Some people take intense notes just because it helps them focus.

Drink water. Cold water. It brings the body temperature down a bit and slows you down. When you panic you sweat and need to replenish.

Positive self talk. Come up with one or two mantras that you can say to yourself over and over again when you feel the panic coming on. 'I can get through this.' 'This is easy.' Something that works for you.

Call someone if you are in the middle of somewhere and have panicked. Just chat for a minute. If nobody is home leave youself a voice message reminding yourself that you are OK.

Fear will not go away if we hide at home. I am leaving an attachment to a book; well all I could find was the audio version of it but it talks abot that. Keep going out to the meetings etc. If it gets to be too much consider therapy and medication. But keep doing it.

Answer 4

anxiety and panic attacks are underlying symptoms of depression. I suffered needlessly for years until I started on Paxil and it really changed by life.I was scared of large crowds,had attacks when driving,feelings of detachment from body and impending doom.If you don't want to take medication you can go to a specialist and try cognitive therapy.Xanax also helps with anxiety and panic attacks,however,tranquilizers can be addicting.

Answer 5

since your in a public setting, this is what seems to help me;. Breathe in through your nose slowly, and breath out through your mouth but in a way as though your blowing through a straw. This will cause you to breath slower and be more controlled. I have a whole list of relaxation techniques that are certified by a licensed psychologist if you, or anyone else for that matter is interested in. Or, you can go to a site like http://www.ask.com and ask the question "what are some relaxation techniques"

Answer 6

Drink cool but not chilled water. Try and sit down some where. Take slow and deep breaths without forcing yourself. Full awareness on the breathing process. Feel the touch of the breath (air) moving in and out of your nostrils, the expansion and reduction of the chest and if possible try to be aware of the subtle sound of the breath. Try to do this yogic meditation several times in a day. Initialy try to do it in a calm and quite surrounding but later on you will be able to do it just anywhere. And you will be able to cut your mind off from the trouble some senario.

Answer 7

deep breath in and exhale using the sound mmmmmm as in humming a little tune think of something sweet and cuddly it also helps to close your eyes while performing this chi type exercise also you might try tickling the palms and backs of your hands. i like to think of myself as having a switch that i can turn off. anxiety is a serious disorder and if it persists and you are not able to control your emotions you should definitely seek the advice of a doctor to get relief

Answer 8

A simple trick to ending panic attacks is wanting to have one because the wanting causes an immediate diffusion of the anticipatory fear.

Can you have a panic attack in this very second?

No !

You know the saying “what you resist persists.” Well that saying applies perfectly to fear. If you resist a situation out of fear, the fear around that issue will persist.

Click Here:

http://youtu.be/4Jd-0vc1xCw

Answer 9

Yahoo has an Avoidant Personality group, with many people with the same problem. Registration required, of course. You will encounter extremely kindred spirits there, no one will be surprised or upset at your tale. There are members who can't even leave their houses for months at a time, and when they do, they write about the experience.

Also, see www.emofree.com

This involves 'eft'. A technique akin to acupuncture, except tapping the energy points, no needles.

My son is in medical school, with a similar problem, and he says eft makes a big difference.

When I first read that URL, I instantly imagined he would say, "Send me four million dollars and I will teach you the truths of the ancients.'

To my surprise, the manual is free for the download...

My son had problems because the manual does not make it really clear how fast to tap, nor how hard. He finally found a short video on line, which did show that.

Craig does sell videos, the first set for $60 + S&H, and if you can come up with that money, I think it would be a good idea. Note that with discount over $100 of 40%, a second set of another type can be obtained for a very modest addition. I just ordered the basic set, and the diagnostic set as well.

I really suspected a scam. I mean, who wouldn't, when he claims to have permanent cures of PTSD among vets hospitalized for years with it, in one day!!!! But, my son investigated, and said if he accepts Discover (he does) it is unlikely to be a scam, because Discover is very aggressive against scammers.

Second, he authorizes anyone who purchases the $60 set to make and distibrute 100 copies, as long as you receive no compensation at all for them. That pretty much decided me to buy the videos. I take this to mean no expenses, no money for postage if I mail them to someone. I am getting a new computer this fall which will make those copies, and I do intend to make and distribute copies but not yet.

To me, EFT is incredibly unbelievable, but my son even sounds different on the phone!

Note on the 'get help' answer. Avoidants tend not to be helped by therapy, at least not with less than many years of therapy, and most never. Meds, such as Zoloft, can keep them on the job. but, some people also do not respond to meds.

Here is my theory on Avoidant Personality. It is only my theory. I was also Avoidant when I was young, so I know the feeling.

Think about it before you call me every name in the book. I can take the heat, my first wife trained me well. There are few people as skilled at emotional abuse as she was, and I am still alive -- and she isn't, but I can prove I didn't do it. :)

Most human beings are technically jerks, not just men but also women. They only know how to deal with other humans in a negative way. Even rare compliments are usually somewhat 'back-handed' and given as jokes.

So, from the day we are born, we are exposed to every sort of .insult and personal attack and criticism. Most people respond by also becoming jerks in their own way.

Avoidants, in my opinion, tend to be really high i.q., and as a result their minds are strong enough to hurt them. They also tend to be intellectual, and sensitive people.

My i.q. was high enough for Mensa, my son's is another 30 points on top of that.

Just from his/her tale, I already know I would probably like this person. Yet, that strong mind has responded to the general negative way humans deal with each other, by believing the person herself is really inferior.

My family told me from the day I was able to remember that I was stupid. They are super jerks, the Fokkers have nothing on my siblings. So, with an i.q. of 156, my mind convinced me that they were really correct, and that I really was stupid and worthless.

In most such cases, there is some permutation of this lack of self-esteem or self-worth.

Sorry, I could write a book, don't have time.

Answer 10

to stop it the attacks a dr. can prescribe med to take or try breathing tech/ or carry a small paper bag and breath slowly in and out i get them myself i am on med but try nature it has a way better than meds. or the best is prayer.