Top Tips for Anxiety Attacks from Fellow Anxiety Sufferers
Emotions are a part
of life. They come and go - I guess that is the most important thing to
remember. Your high of happiness won't always be (and that is a good thing -
otherwise, how would we continue to appreciate it?). Just like your depressive
low or an anxiety attack won't be around forever either.
I don't know why I am writing this,
nor why I am writing this so soon after a panic attack. But last week I started
shaking as I went to sleep. The shaking progressively got worse and so did the
nausea. I haven't thrown up from an anxiety/pots attack in about a year but,
after shaking for hours on end, the next morning I did. All night I kept being
woken by my shaking body, thanks to my out of control nervous system. Having to
sit up multiple times in the night because I thought I was going to be sick ...
and then I finally was.
After I threw up my body calmed down,
stopped thinking, stopped shaking and I was left feeling like an exhausted
shell.
I wanted to share this I guess
because I haven't had an attack like this in a good while. I haven't had that
feeling of being locked inside my head and thoughts, unable to break out for
months.
After the attack, I went to instagram
to ask my fellow followers for help. After going through anxiety and pots
attacks I still can’t really describe how horrible it feels - I have been
through a lot with my health but nothing quite compares to it.
I have listed 32 of the responses I
received. They are all tips from different people with different experiences on
how to help and cope with anxiety attacks and what works for them.
Top
Tips for Anxiety Attacks from Fellow Anxiety Sufferers
The most common responses were:
- Don’t be
alone while it is happening and if you
are than call someone
- Try some breathing techniques (some suggested included: square
breathing, alternate nostril breathing)
- Meditation,
prayer or reciting poems and lyrics
- Try
grounding techniques and become aware of
your senses - try tapping, feeling and focusing on things around you
- Try figuring out what caused or triggered the attack.
The lovely people who stopped and
took time out of their day to reply to my call for help said this (in no
particular order):
1.
“I use a poem or lyrics that mean something to me and recite them slowly to lower my heart rate”
@eddiehoward3
2.
“Breathe, meditate, take five minutes to yourself to evaluate what set it off.”
@imaginationbycat
3. “For panic attacks something I have learnt from my
therapist is to name it to tame it. So you say to yourself ‘this is anxiety I am ok or there is no
danger’ take some deep belly
breaths about ten. Then you need to force yourself to do something that will use the front part
of your brain I do dishes or
something like that. When you have a panic attack the front part of your brain
the thinking part stops working. That’s why you feel like you can’t think and
you want to just curl up in a ball. Keep repeating this process if you have to
until it calms down. Meditation breathing work and yoga have helped a little
too.”
@halee_dee86
4. “About an anxiety-attack; Focus on your breath. Put your hands on your lower back and breathe into it.
Focus on the movement of your hands with every breath. Your breathing will slow
down and you will start to feel better. I've been to an rehabilitation-clinic
for 3 months, specialised in chronic pain/-illness/exhaustion. I've learned all
these kind of tricks. Also something to 'ground' your feet. Because I was dizzy
a lot and even fell a lot. But these exercises really work! Well, for me at
least I hope the breathe-thing will help you too!”
@inkie_90
5.
“Deep breathing, meditation or distraction”
@meemoface
6.
“Focus on your breath, be aware of your environment and try to just be instead of rejecting.”
Anonymous
7.
“Deep breaths have saved me many times. And grounding
techniques!”
“Yoga,
meditation and nature!”
@midvenna
8.
“Working out what triggers them (if possible) can help”
@monasheeandme
9.
“Try not to be on your own when it happens, even if it means calling someone you
trust.”
@ohyeah_rachael
10.
“Deep breathing!! Try any kind of breathing technique. Call someone or text someone. It can completely calm you down if its
the right person. Rub your legs if you are shaking. Feel things around you; touch the
grass, feel a fuzzy blanket. Use sensory
things”
@happylittledandelion
11.
“I like to use physical items such as a stress ball/fuzzy blanket”
Anonymous
12.
“Meditate”
@palisadesparkmeditation
13.
“Deep breathing, take your mind away from the problem, start doing what you enjoy
like cooking, dancing, exercising. Whatever you like to get away from it.”
@photosbycris
14.
“Breathing exercises.”
“Remember
you have been through it before. You are safe. This will pass.”
@dansenindestorm
- undec
15.
“Take slow and deep breathing. Feel your sensations. Feel what you touch and
describe it… describe and focus on one
thing that you see… its color shape etc..close your eyes think on a good thing you really like... relax then your muscles by trying to shake it off. Muscles tense
while having panic attacks.”
@gp_talks
16.
“I usually hold my partner or ring him if he’s at work, his voice calms me
down”
@han_evaward
17.
“I find focussing on problem solving is best. I deal with my problems head on.”
“Or
talking with someone as it’s happening may help. Like a big ol’ cry and blurting out your feelings”
@brittany.crabb
@tksstories
19.
“Pray,
then count your breaths, wait for your mind to return to the present moment. Your
mind will always return no matter how
scary.”
@rose2wellness
20.
“Prayer and meditation and medication”
@amberyesamber
21.
“Taking a shower”
@joccelins
22.
“Distractions!!”
“Grounding.
Close your eyes and ask yourself what
you smell, what you feel etc.”
“Breath in for 6 seconds until you feel
yourself calming down”
@meg.weston
23.
“Resume remedy, visulisation”
@mama_scrumpy
24.
“I’ve found meditating helps a little”
@myfavesjournal
25.
“It helps me to be with someone while it’s happening and imagine
myself on the beach”
@christina.b.johnson
26.
“Tapping
is great and deep breathing with reassuring
yourself”
@kathy.stoner
27.
“Mindfulness videos on Youtube, just focusing on breathing (imagine that there are three
chambers in your lungs)”
28.
“Weighted blankets help a lot for me (or anything that puts gentle weight on
you)”
29.
“Grounding exercises (finding three things you can see, three things you can hear
etc.”
Anonymous
30.
“The happiness course at the art of living
foundation. And Youtube meditations”
@namaste.eh
31.
“Insight timer app has great panic attack meditation, I highly recommend it. Also alternate nostril breathing
and EFT tapping”
@racheyg123
32.
“Get a dog”
@susiegracee
I guess my tip is - always try to be present even though in the present it can feel so awful. Just
focus on what is right in front of you - take life one step at a time.
Make yourself see there is no real
threat. The future will come and the past has been. The only thing you can
control is the NOW. It is not easy. It can be so difficult but just
don't forget it. I try to remember to say “you
will be safe and okay no matter what” to
myself over and over in a calming tone.
Please leave a comment below if you
have any recommendations that might help too! I hope this post was somewhat
helpful xxx
 |
Also  it’s my 2 year instagram ANNIVERSARY And I like this photo because I feel like it’s me embracing life  blood tests and all  |
