Has anyone tried any of the at-home treatments for anxiety/panic attacks?

Question

I was looking through the web and it looks like some of the options are Conquering Stress, Panic Portal and the Linden Review. I was wondering if anyone could recommend any of these or other ones, and tell me about them. I have panic attacks and social anxiety disorder. I am overcoming the social anxiety disorder but the panic attacks seem to be increasing and becoming more severe. I have tried traditional therapy, which helped a little. I do not want to take prescription medications. I have tried a few and they just made me worse. In addition, if anyone has any tips on self-help for the onset/managment during a panic attack. Thanks!

Answer 1

Christine, first you must know what is the root cause of your anxiety/panic attacks. I agree with you that drugs will only mask the root cause and will not resolve the root cause that is still inside of you.

There is what is know as "anticipatory", reaction to anxiety. When you feel an anxiety attack coming on you must do everything in your power to not allow the cause of the anxiety to take over your entire body. If this happens then you will have a full blown panic attack.

When you feel anxious or a panic attack coming on, your very first action is to try and think of someting beautlful, or do Yoga breathing exercise.. (Just breath through your nose, taking in as much air as you can hold). Don't allow the the stomach muscles to force the air out. You want to control the air by letting it out as slow as possible through your mouth.

Practice this Yoga breathing exercise at home, so that you will get in the habit of doing it right. (Usualy two or three max., taking in all the air you can through your nose & letting it out very slow through your mouth will make you feel very relaxed.

I do it myself. An it works 100%.

A phobia of any kind, requires behavior modification, reality therapy or hypnosis. (If say you have been through therapy an it is obvious it did not work for you).

You must be conditioning your mind, with your social phobia, becasue you say that is getting better. (This means that you must be exposing yourself little by little with being around people.

Now you will have to try and find out why your panic attacks are increasing. As soon as you feel a panic attack coming on look around yourself, or think of what it is that is own your mind at that monent.. (Perhaps what is around you or what is on your mind at that given moment may be the cause of the panic attack).

Then if you find the cause, you will need to find an alternative solution to resolve the problem. This is what I do for my patients. I find out the root cause an I never tell them what they must do. I provide them with many alternative solutions and they must pick which one is best for them. If they ask me about the choice, I can tell them what is the light at the end of the tunnel.

Wish you all the best, as panic attacks are no fun. Plus I am proud of you that you will not let any psychiatrist put you on a controlled substance like Aprazolam, Tafil or Xanax. (All the same drug). Names depends on what country you reside in.

Clinical Psychiatrist, France

Excuse my english

Answer 2

Hi Christine. Years ago Prozac combine with a med called Rivotril helped me with my panic attacks. Right now I am taking Cymbalta and Zyprexa which are softer that the ones taken before. I do not know a lot about home treatments. Maybe St John´s wort and some Bach flowers can help you. About self help I would say to have positive thinking, not be afraid of the fear of having another panic attack because it produces the onset. Breath deep when you get one and just wait till it is gone. I will end my answer giving you the "spiritual explanation" of panic attacks. A spirit is attached to your aura, and when it attacks you feel all the symptoms (fear of fear, fear of getting crazy, shortness of breath, heart bumping, sweat, low circulation in legs, etc)

Answer 3

I once suffered from anxiety attacks. Not fun. Stopped breathing and eventually passed out. Another "favorite" of mine was hyperventallating.

Here's some things that I suggest you do that seem simple, but worked.

When you feel that stupid minnow just below your chest in that hallow space, picture a "1" in your head. The one I always pictured was a 3-D version, with all sides. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and say "one" with the picture. See the "2", say the "two", and move to three. Keep going. Stay focused on those numbers. If you find yourself getting side-tracked, change the colors of the numbers. The size, the shape, the texture.

If you find you can't do that, just do the simple thing and sit down. Even if you're on a street corner, it's worth the embaressment to sit down vs. passing out. Sit down, close your eyes, and verbally say "STOP".

I'm so sorry if those don't work, but the number thing worked really well for me.

Good Luck!!

Answer 4

-only thing that helps is to have an open mind when you feel it coming on and you have this other thing prepared like a happy love life. all i have to do is take the depressing thought and jump out of it into the nice love life that i have and the sensations of my better feeling provide me with a flash it's not fool proof but the sooner u make a positive move on your self when you know that in a another fraction of a second you'll be pulverized by it, so try to focus on staying away from good or bad and just move through the day until one needs the other and i feed it to it and it is reduced to a less than five second pit fall now. i simple try not to think allot too, just opening up sometimes is a trigger effect that caregivers and rescuers a prone too. be careful, be online banging away on this key board may help too, i like how it takes my time up and doesn't create stress, unless it's it's my bad day on the computer then i have to have a big drink

Answer 5

I have two answers for you, first off you have to deal with the underlying causes of the panic. Where does this fear stem from?
What could be the worst thing that could happen? I think that you have dealt with the worst thing, that is the fear. Once you did that the first time, and survived realistically there is nothing left that could happen is there? Remember the most important thing is " NO ONE CAN READ YOUR MIND " that is the main fear, PRIDE.
Second you have to have the surity in your heart that if it got so bad that for some reason you were to die that you know that you will be accepted by God into heaven. Only Jesus can get you in he has paid the price for all the things that you have done or will do. Ask him into your heart and He promises you that he will be your protector ( Psalms 91 ) and your comforter in all your worries ( John 16 ). That is the thing that gets me through all of my times of panic

Answer 6

Anxiety and depression can only be cured away from home. There is no treatment at home that will help. Get a new friend and remember old friends and family are where you got the depression from.

Answer 7

Low dose of anxiolytic may work wonders. sometimes doctors are afraid of prescribing these because they believe that there is high risk of addiction. find a doctor who will prescribe you a low dose that you can take as needed (given you are not pregnant, etc. other med. conditions).