tips on dealing with anxiety attacks?

Question

i was recently diagnosed with anxiety attacks. they are very scary. anyway doc prescribed atenolol but i was higher than a kite all day the next day. i am a working mother and wife. i can't take stuff that makes me feel like that. anyone else have the same prob with the med and also i need ideas on how to deal with these. will they last the rest of my life or can they eventually go away? i was also told to try to locate my triggers. it would seem they would happen when i'm stressed but actually they happen when i am driving down the road or relaxing at home--basically when i am least stressed. why is this? only serious answers plz. thank u

Answer 1

Use lavender aromatherapy (candles, incense, body wash, body spray, shampoo, air freshener, etc.--not all at once, lol), and get a lavender scented air freshener for your car. This fragrance is very relaxing, and helps me (and many others I've spoken to) very much.

Check out meditation - this helps clear your mind, and helps you to relax.

Drink Chamomile Tea, Sleepytime Tea, Decaffeinated Green Tea, warm milk, etc.

Avoid caffeine after lunch time (if you need to use it at all). Remember that colas and candy bars also contain caffeine.

Check out the supplement Valerian Root. A lot of people find that this relaxes them--it is over-the-counter, in the vitamin aisle of almost all stores. There is also SleepyTime Extra Tea with Valerian, which is a much lower doseage than the Valerian supplement.

Don't drink alcohol to excess. A glass of wine or a beer once in a while is okay (not with medication), but overdoing it will lead to further anxiety.

I do suffer with anxiety and panic. I take Klonopin (clonazepam) for this. It takes close to an hour to take affect, but it keeps working for hours. Valium and Xanax start to work much faster--but wear off much sooner--meaning you would need to take a lot more of them.

Be sure to walk in the fresh air, get lots of exercise in the daytime, eat healthily, and drink enough water--it does make a difference.

I hope that this will help you--it did help me.

Answer 2

Try to cut back on sugar and caffeine. And I know, I am trying to find some med to help w/ anxiety also. How about half the dose of the beta blocker that you were taking? You could ask doc abt that. Or some other anti-anxiety med? There are so many of them. There are even ones you can take at night that but they may still help you out some the next day b/c they have a long half-life.

My problem is, I am so scared, I'm scared to take anything at all. Don't be like me.

I know one thing, though. The minute I eat sugar or chocolate or consume caffeine, it makes the anxiety worse.

Answer 3

There's a book called the anxiety and phobia workbook, I found that helpful. It did have a big section in there about panic attacks. your library may have this book. I don't have panic attacks, so I can't advise you there. Good luck, I hope others can help you more! There is a lot of info on the internet too, you can try googling panic attacks and also hit up WebMD and NIMH (national institute of mental health) and there should be info plus links.

Answer 4

I had panic attacks. Yes, they are very scary. But you CANNOT be hurt or injured by them, even though they feel very powerful. So, first keep that in mind.

Second, there are lots of different meds out there. If one doesn't work, I am sure you will find a different one that will. I've had to change medicines over the past 20+ years and that is hard. But YOU WILL get through it too.

Some people are opposed to taking pills, I know. But medicine saved my life. Hang in there. Things will get better!!!

Answer 5

There are many drugs that work wonders. SSRI's and other anti-anxiety drugs such as Klonopin work well for most people. If you can, go exercise HARD for about 20 minutes. It can work miracles. The reason that you get these attacks when you are least stressed is probably because your mind has time to dwell on things.

Answer 6

tips dealing anxiety attacks

Answer 7

How i deal with my attacks vary due to my location, if i am at home then i will sit or lay down and try to control my breathing, while thinking of a good experience in my life. If i am out of the house or in a place where i am not alone i will look at shoes of the people around me or at any other item that i can concentrate on and try to bring my breathing back to normal. Medication is fine in the short term while you find your own way of bring yourself back or until you find and deal with your triggers, you just have to find the right medication for you.

Answer 8

The attack takes 3 minutes to develop to full swing, it only takes 3 minutes to take it down again:




Each time you panic, its an attack, each time you panic you need to stop it, remember the following, (Keep in mind i suffer from these attacks myself, i merely get them from a different cause but its all the same story. i don't believe in seeking help, therapy sessions and the whole relax and meditate but this is common sense and is starting to work for me):

The Four Steps to remember when you start worrying very sudden:

1. Relax.
2. Stop Negative Thinking.
3. Use Coping Statements.
4. Accept Your Feelings.

______________________

1. Deep breathes, slow * complete breathing will begin to reverse the attack.

2. Shout STOP!! in your mind, the attack is being carried by a series of attacks started by your brain. By shouting the word stop to yourself in your mind, although it sounds silly, it is a distraction to your brain and interupts the cycle.

3. Instead of thinking im going to have a panic attack, im going to faint think - im the only one here having this problem, i saw it coming, i can stop it.

4. Explain to yourself number 3. you thought about having a panic attack so it set you off on a panic, but you know really nothing is wrong, you just went into one because you told yourself you've done it before.

**Repeat 1&2 then take your mind off it, get yourself occupied by doing whatever!

Answer 9

I often have anxiety attacks when I'm driving. I think it's more stressful than you think. Home can be pretty stressful, too, if you think about it. I don't like to take meds so I try to control it myself. Just try to relax, watch tv, listen to music and breath deeply. Close your eyes.

Answer 10

any sort of depression can be tide over by faith in GOD and sincere prayer.

Your prayer is from your heart. Further You must have to understood the fact that God is present in our heart. This can be realised in meditation. Further we are the creation of our own destiny. As per Hindu sacred religion, we carry all good and bad deeds life after life. There is no end unless we pray for unification of self with the divineliness.
Hence there is always a possible way to complete mergence with God in this life by a simple and wonderful meditation