can anyone give tips for handling anxiety attacks?

Answer 1

I just read all of the answers given so far, and can only say this...It doesn't sound like anyone who has tried to answer your question so far has ever had a panic attack. I have acute anxiety with obsessive compulsive tendencies, which means I have panic attacks and try to clean my way through them. It is possible to learn how to manage your panic on your own and talk yourself down from one, but it took about 2 years of weekly therapy for me to get good at it. When I was first diagnosed, I was at the point where I was having 8 to 10 spontanious panic attacks daily. I didn't want to be placed on medication because I'm not a big fan of taking pills. However, my therapist convinced me explained that I had to be able to calm down immediately. So I was put on an antidepressant along with a very mild nerve pill. There are several antidepressants made specifically for anxiety disorders. Along with the medication, I ws in weekly therapy to learn how to manage panic without meds. That was in May of 1998, I've been off the antidepressants for about 4 years now, and doing very well. Ocassionally I do have to take a nerve pill, but its few and far between. I guess my answer to your question is its going to be tough on your own to handle anxiety attacks. You have to distract yourself, focus your attention on something else. It's very hard in the beginning, because your focused on your panic attack, but it works when you get onto what works for you. At first, I would sing in my head. Anything I knew all the words to. Once you center you attention on something else the attack will go away. The longer you focus on it the longer it stays, because your so in tuned with the symptoms, ie; shortness of breath, heart pounding, lightheadedness, and so on that you're actually making them worse. Once I became good at talking myself down so to speak, I could do it by picking up a crossword puzzle and working on it. The best advice I can give you is that if it is becomming constant and unmanagable, get some help. Don't go to your primary care doctor, go to someone who specializes in mental health. Make sure they offer therapy along with medication, because your goal is to manage without meds, sure the meds are a quick fix, but learning to handle things without is much better. They are all highly addictive, so be careful. Good luck, I hope hearing that you're not alone helped. I know what you're going through and it was awful. Hang in there.

Answer 2

Before you go into a potentially anxiety inducing situation, make a list, mental or written, of what you want to accomplish. When the first ripples of anxiety wash over you, mentally go over your list, tell yourself you can do this, and take some deep breaths. Give yourself some extra time, five or ten minutes, to get where you need to be.

Answer 3

To prevent them, handle stress. Try yoga, or some kind of personal mantra. In the middle of one, just remember to breathe, and try to focus your attention on something calming. Otherwise, see your doc or a psycholgist trained in this.

Answer 4

meditation. deep breathing. accupressure therapy, find a place on your hand that helps relax you and apply pressure, meds, etc. for different people, different things calm them down. I can usually calm myself but i have had panic attacks last for over an hour that I haven't been able to pull myself out of .

good luck.

Answer 5

you gotta take medicine if you in fact have anxiety. it could be a reaction to your endocrine system instead of actual anxiety. there are a lot of mis diagnosis's. go and get checked.

Answer 6

Sit or lie down, clear your mind, and take five to ten deep breaths.
If this is a persistent problem, you might want to ask you doctor to perscribe something like Prozac.

Answer 7

pop a xanax? its what my doctor tells me!! believe it or not, my doctor gripes at me for not taking my xanax more ofter, because I try to deal w/anxiety attacks head on and on my own.