What is the best way to control anxiety attacks?!


Question: What is the best way to control anxiety attacks!?
I've been having them a lot lately!. My heart races, and I have difficulty breathing!. It's especially scary when i'm driving!. Sometimes I have to pull over they're so severe, as I feel like I may pass out!.

Any suggestions on what I can do when this happens!? ThanksWww@Answer-Health@Com


Answers:
I totally feel your pain! I used to have them all the time and it freaked me out even more when I couldn't control it - yeah just what you need!. My doctor basically told me it was all my own doing!. She told me to try and take a step back from whatever situation I am in while having it and just try to readjust - may not make any sense to you now, but it does work!. We are all our own worst enemies and we are the ones to cause the anxiety attacks - of course no one wants to admit that!. I know I didn't, but when I finally did they were less and less frequent!. When I start to feel one coming on, I just try to take a few deep breaths and stop for a sec to figure out what I am doing to start me to feel that way!. Everyone has their own technique, I am sure you will figure one out that works for you!.

My only other alternative was Xanax - it helps me sleep (I have massive insomnia too) and helps me stop over analyzing things - which I noticed tends to bring on anxiety attacks!.

I do hope that someones answer here helps you out in some way - Anxiety attacks SUCK!. Good luck, I will keep my fingers crossed for you!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

There are a lot of good suggestions here:

1!. Find the triggers by analyzing what was going on when it happened!. Find a common thread!. Many times, this can be a little complex!. It can caused by feeling out of control and depression!. This can have to do with relationships, work--but it may not be obvious on the surface!. It wasn't for me!. It took me 7 years, by myself, to work it out!.

2!. See a therapist!. They can help you with step one and if necessary, prescribe an anti-anxiety med!.

3!. When you are in the middle of an attack, just use a breathing exercise, such as breath in 7, hold 8, breath out 7 while feeling the rise and fall in your diaphragm!. Or think of one of your most pleasant memories or plan an exciting project, whatever works for you!. The main purpose it to override the feeling of anxiety and the accompanying thoughts!. And remember this--the average attack lasts only two minutes!. YOU CAN DO IT!

Hopefully your doctor will work with you using some techniques like hypnotherapy!. It really works!.

I used to have severe panic attacks which turned into post traumatic stress disorder!. It was terrible!. But I haven't had an attack in 15 years!.

Best of luck to you!Www@Answer-Health@Com

Ok, frankly speaking, you need to learn to break the chain of anxiety or the cycle of it!.

Here's a tip about Distraction:
"Ok, and this very strange incident happened!. I remember the next day, I was waiting for the bus!.!.!. my palms were sweating, a symptom of an impending panic attack!. I was listening to my mp3-player, blasting songs to my ears!. I remember I was listening to this particular song and I tried to imagine myself being the guitar-player or the drummer and try to rhythm with the beats - I picture myself in a concert as the guitarist or drummer, concentrating and focusing the beats as the crowd cheered for me!. And guess what!? Before I even realised it, I was near my stop! The attack didn't happen at all! And I started to wonder what made me went through without even having an attack!.!.!. then I realised it is my mind!. I was so busy visualising or daydreaming that I "forgot" about my attack!"


ADDED:
I've researched and found this out recently if anyone has Panic Disorder or Anxiety Disorder - which meant that you keep having Panic Attacks or Anxiety Attacks for a long period of time:
Medication is 50% to recovery, the other 50% is breaking the pattern!.
Let me give you a quick summary on why is this so!.
When you have negative emotions, it creates low Serotonin production level; low serotonin level makes you prone to Anxiety, Depression, Panic-attacks, etc!.

When Doctors prescribe you antidepressants (known as SSRI - Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) or something smiliar, it is meant to increase Serotonin level to help balance it!. And please do not just rely on Antidepressants, there are natural ways to boost Serotonin level (an example would be the herb - St John's Wort)!. But here's the problem - despite a balanced level of Serotonin level, there's already a "learnt behavior" subconsciously!. This is true when you have Anxiety Disorder or Panic Disorder!.
But please don't get me wrong - antidepressants do help to improve your condition but it is only 50%!. The other 50% to full recovery is breaking that "learnt behavior" which is installed subconsciously to your mind!. That is why people with Panic Disorder or Anxiety Disorder just keeps on thinking about their attacks and couldn't get off! Worst part of all is that our mind is a powerful tool!. The more we think of something, we tend to exaggerate it!. That is when a person keeps thinking about his minor panic attack, it starts to get worser and worser!.
The answer!? Break the pattern - break the initial cycle before it triggers the other stages of the cycle!.
ONE of the techniques to break the cycle is distraction, as listed above!.

Added again:
Erm, I don't know if I should say this!.!.!. it is for Jessika Lynn's answer!. Not that I am offending you or something, but I seem to wonder about your Therapist's method!. I learnt NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) before and when you do that technique, you are creating an Asssociation!. What do I mean by that!? Ok, here's an example: when you play a particular song, say a love song, do you suddenly recall your lover or ex-lover!? You also have that strong emotions being evoked at that point of time!. Also, you will begin to think of him or her!. That is Association!. It is also true if you do that physical tip when you have panic-attacks or anxiety-attacks!. You are 'creating a trigger'!. Then you might wonder - what will happen then!? Here's the scary truth: in the future, when you are perfectly normal and alright, and you suddenly do that technique (putting your feet on something cold and rubbing your thumb and index-fingers together), you are starting that trigger!. Immediately, all the feelings will start bombarding you again - just like how the song example I gave above!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

A few tips that worked for me:

1!. Try to figure out if there's a particular trigger for your panic attacks!. To the extent that it's possible, keep a log of what you were doing, what you were thinking, where you were, time of day etc when your attacks start!. You might notice a pattern emerge (as I did), which will help you address what's causing the attacks in the first place!.

2!. Exercise and meditation also helped me - exercising regularly is a great outlet for everything pent up in your body; and meditation sharpens your mind!.

3!. It can also help to have a "safe" family member/friend, who's aware of the problem, who can talk you through a panic attack!. I had lots of trouble thinking rationally when I first started getting panic attacks - this really helped me to rationalise all the irrational thoughts that accompanied my panic attacks!.

I'm attack free for a couple of years, after doing all of these things!. Best wishes - hope you resolve this quickly!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

I get really bad panic attacks also and when i was pregnant my doctor told me that he couldn't give me medication!. He showed me how to breath by inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth slowly!. i still use it when i get really bad panic attacks!.

I seem to get panic attacks when i have really bad migraines and this happens usually in the middle of the night!. I do my breathing exercises and it really helps!. Www@Answer-Health@Com

Hey, i'm Lewis!. I am an ex panic/anxiety attack sufferer!. Best thing you can do is take deep breaths or breath into a paper bag!. This way it evens out your carbon dioxide and oxygen levels in your blood!. A panic attack will hyperventilate you!. There for there is too much oxygen in the blood!. Breathing deeply or into a paper bag will give you more carbon dioxide!. And at a time like that, that's the best thing to do!. Also, all the voices in your head telling you some hing bad is going to happen, Tell them to shut the hell up and replace them with a comforting "your going to be just fine"!. Please email me if you would like to chat some more about it!. I have looks into it alot and know quite a bit about it!. Also I do not get them any more so maybe I can help you to stop getting them;!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

I don't know much about this!. I guess it would be reasonable to at least go see a doctor!. This is not to say, that you should take medication because I wouldn't like that if it was me!. I'm just saying, you could go see a doctor to seek out some methods to try and prevent it or at least lessen it!. I see a lot of people have given you what seems to me, as good advice, so I'm glad!. As the last answerer had answered, I will keep an eye on your question and its answers too, because I sometimes experience this, but to a milder degree!. It does kind of pop out at you and sometimes it's really frightening!. Thanks for asking it, and good luck!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

all of the above, my friend!.

Also!.!.find calming music, and most important!.!.attempt to find your triggers!.

Anxiety attacks aren't just random!.!.something sets them off!.!.be it subconcious, or physioligical!.

And!.!.at the end of the day!.!. you might need a medication!.

I suffer form severe anxiety issues as one of the symptoms of Asperger's Syndrome!.!.!.and so I too daily have to deal with!.

I avoid stimulants now (mostly!.!.I need my coffee every now and then) and stay away from crowds if possible!. Those two things alone have sognificgantly reduced them

For years I thought it was related to my atshma!.!.so finding out that isn't so was a binus in and of itself!.

Anyhow!.!.hope it is something that is temporary in your case!.!.as they can be part of other things!.!.such as an outward sign of too much bloody stress!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

i have anxiety attacks all the time so bad the doctor had to put me on medicine if i were you i would go to the doctor and tell them whats going on!.!.!.the will either put you on celax like me or xanx but thats addicting and it makes you tired they put me on it then stopped but what i do get a glass of water drink it down then lay down in one spot so my body has time to clam its self down most of the time its in you anxiety is in your head so you have to try in concentrate and tell your self that nothing is wrong trust me yep i have the same thingWww@Answer-Health@Com

I get those all the time too!. For me I get really light headed, and I feel like I'm going to throw up!.

I just try to sit down and relax for a minute but since i don't drive yet I don't know what you can do then!.

Edit: I'm going to be keeping my eye on these answers because I need some help with this too!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

I've had them my whole my Life -- If feels like you going to die!.

I'M SORRY - BUT IF YOU WANT TO GET RID OF THEM

SEE A DOCTOR AND A PSYCHIATRIST!.

YOU NEED AN ANTI-DEPRESSENT FOR YOUR BRAIN CHEMSITRY

AND A BENZODIAZAPENE TO FOR EMERGENCIES!.

XANAX OR GENERIC ALPRAXOLAM - WILL STOP THE ATTACK WITHIN MINUTES, IF YOU PUT THE PILL UNDER YOUR TONGUE!.

AND YOU NEED TO SEE A COUNSELOR - PANIC DISORDER IS PART CHEMISTRY, BUT MOSTLY MENTAL

SORRy FOR THE HARD LOVE - BUT ITS THE BEST WAY!.
!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

If your having a panic attack you should defiantly pull over, my therapist has told me to always put my feet on something cold when I have one, and rub my thumb and index fingers together, it seems to help a little bit!. Www@Answer-Health@Com

I get them once in a while and what works is deep breaths!. Simply put, thats all you need to do! Www@Answer-Health@Com

masturbate and eat cabbage!Www@Answer-Health@Com

Overcoming anxiety is no small task!.
It takes practice and a lot of hard work!.

I used to have panic attacks once a week
due to my high anxiety, so I definitely feel
for you!. Fortunately, I can do a lot more
for you than empathize!.

By utilizing the techiques below, I was slowly
able to gain control over my anxiety and stop
my panic attacks from occuring!. If you
exercise these techiques regularly, you too
will see great improvements in anxiety,
tension and stress!.

Breathing:

As the anxiety creeps up, begin to count in
your head!. Count 1,2,3,4 -- 1,2,3,4 -- 1,2,3,4
pausing on the dashes and so on!.

You're not going to actually say or
even think the numbers!. You're going
to breath the numbers!.

Take a deep breath in through your
nose for the 1 and 2!. Then take a
deep breath out through your mouth
for the 3 and 4!. Practice this routine
for a few minutes a day until it
becomes an automated exercise for you!.

Practicing really helps a lot!.
Practice in a controlled environment!.
I used to practice before bed!. When
panic does hit, this self-defense
mechanism kicks in without effort!.

Control Your Thinking:

When you have negative thoughts,
negative things will come into your
life!. Conversely when you have positive
thoughts, positive things will come
into your life!.

That's because thoughts steer the
direction of your life!.

The same holds true in moments of high
anxiety!. It's important during these
times to monitor your thoughts and
make sure you force calming ideas
and images into your head!.

Nothing is really as bad as it seems and ten
years from now,this particularly stressful
situation won't exist - so control your
thinking to avoid your mind from falling
into a negative thought spiral!.

As soon as you have a negative thought,
throw it out of your head and
counterbalance yourself with a
positive or optimistic thought!.

This is a hard one, but after
you monitor your thoughts for
a week or two, you begin to think
more positive in general!.

These two tactics helped me a lot!.

Other helpful ideas are:
- Participat in Therapy
- Talk to someone you trust
- Exercise (cardio works best)
- Yoga
- Stretching
- Reading
- Meditation
- Take a hot shower
- Go for a Walk
- Listen to Music
Www@Answer-Health@Com





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