We often look for long-term solutions to any problem. But anxiety is something that requires both long-term and short-term solutions.
Anxiety is a non-medical term that is a sensation or feeling of fear of something bad about to happen. Basically feeling you get when you are worrying or fearing about something particular. Anxiety is associated with stress. Hence, it causes physical symptoms like muscle tension too. An anxiety attack takes place when there is something particular triggering the person. The majority of the times anxiety takes place due to some event or situation. Though, this is not the case always. If you have panic disorder, then you may feel anxiety first, as the first step before a panic attack. Even constant anxiety can also result in causing more anxiety without any specific reason.
Yes, there are many changes and ways you can adopt to reduce your anxiety gradually, but about the time when you are in an anxiety attack?
Usually, during an anxiety attack, the breathing rate gets abnormal, the heart pounds faster, the body releases sweat. You may also experience shivering and weird sensations in your body. It’s very important to understand that what you need to do at that time so that you can prevent anxiety from increasing and taking over the control.
What to do when you are in an anxiety attack.
An anxiety attack majorly hits a person due to fear of something bad happening in a particular situation. This means there is a specific subject that is creating a sense of fear in that person. It tends to develop gradually over time. It can be mild, moderate, or severe. There may be a sense that it can be over once that particular problem is solved. Here are some things that you can do to handle an anxiety attack
Stay in present.
Often worrying about “what will happen” destroys you. Overthinking is not something we have control over. It is very easy to advise someone to think less, but actually very difficult to execute. But you can do it by sticking to the present. Overthinking triggers your mental health. During anxiety, overthinking works like poison. So the very first thing you must do during an anxiety attack is to make yourself believe that the present is everything.
Even if you have a problem, you won’t be able to solve it while being anxious. So, it’s very important for you to analyze that where are you, what you need, and what can be done right now. It is said that anxiety is a future-oriented state of mind. So instead of worrying about what’s going to happen, “reel yourself back to the present,” says Tamar Chansky, PhD, a psychologist and author of Freeing Yourself from Anxiety. Ask yourself some questions and answer them one by one. What’s happening right now? Am I safe? Is there something I need to do right now?.
Keep reminding yourself that it will be over
An anxiety or Panic attack often makes you feel like you are dying or having a heart attack. It is very important for you to stay in sense. So keep your hand on your chest and remind yourself that it is just an attack that is harmless. The less you will think about it, the less it will overpower you.
Remind yourself: “I’m having a panic attack, but it’s harmless, it’s temporary, and there’s nothing I need to do,” Chansky says. She added that also thinks that this is the opposite of the sign of impending death, as your body is activating its fight-to-flight response.
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Give your thoughts some fact checks.
During Anxiety, a person is very prone to get triggered easily. Even a small thought or action from someone can bring a huge reaction. Ultimately, unnecessary thinking adds up to your anxiety. Hence, it is very important to stop yourself and ask, “Do I have a valid answer to my thoughts?’. And if yes, start cutting off your bad thoughts with good and positive answers full of reassurance. Ask questions from yourself and answer them with reality. You might get know that how much extra were you thinking.
Hence, never keep yourself away from the facts. A bit of reassurance or hope can calm down your anxiety.
Breathe in and out
This is one of the most tried and effective things to do when you are anxious. Anxiety surely makes your heart pound ghastly. This results in fasten up your breathing. All this combined makes you feel more anxious. You feel like everything is running and nothing is under your control. And in such times, it is very important to stop or slow down. And the first step you can take to slow down is to slow down your breathing first. Hence, deep breathing is considered to be one of the most effective ways to calm down your anxiety.
This is called inhale, hold, exhale. In this, you contribute some specific fixed seconds to each step. For example:
- Inhale for 5 seconds
- hold for 4 seconds
- exhale for 5 seconds
Counting down your breathing can help you in taking control of your breathing. Deep breathing exercises can help you in slowing down your breathing rate. And slowly you will feel a sense of calmness.
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Follow the 3-3-3 rule
Well, this might be something new to know. This trick is known as 3-3-3 as it requires you to name any three objects you see around you, any three sounds you hear, and move three body parts that are your ankle, fingers, or arm. This technique is said to be effective whenever you feel like your mind is rushing and you need it calms it down. With this trick, you stable your focus which brings you back to the reality that.
“Whenever you feel your brain going 100 miles per hour, this mental trick can help centre your mind, bringing you back to the present moment”, Chansky says.
Interupt yourself
Get up, take a walk, wash your face, cry, or throw a paper, Anything. Do anything else. Just don’t let your body rest in that cyclone of thoughts. Any activity in the middle of an anxiety attack will interrupt your thought process. This is the most essential part to do. So do anything to interrupt the course of anxiety. It may help you in easing it down.
“Stand up, take a walk, throw away a piece of trash from your desk — any action that interrupts your train of thought helps you regain a sense of control”, Chansky suggests.
TALK!
No matter how better you handle yourself, sometimes you need to listen to specific things from someone else. So let it out. Sharing what you are going through is going to help you a lot. Don’t think about what you are going to express and how. Just do it in the rawest form. Call or text a friend or loved one and just vent it out. Listen to them. Listen to the reassurance they offer you. You will soon feel calm and your thoughts at peace as they are no longer hitting your head.
Watch something funny
Watching anything funny and distracting can help you out in coming out of an anxiety attack. Turn on the show you love the most, laugh. Try to take ease from it. Laughing is a good prescription for an anxious mind, Chansky says. After all, laughter is known to be the most effective solution to mental stress.
An anxiety or panic attack may make you feel weak, but it’s not going to harm you if you take things in your hand. Our mind is complex. We feel like attacks are overpowering us. But are they really overpowering? or are we allowing them to overpower us?. Here are some ways to calm down while having an anxiety attack. Stay healthy and happy!
