Self-treat panic attacks. How to cope with panic attacks on your own: a set of therapeutic measures. My step-by-step video course on getting rid of panic attacks

Panic attacks: how to fight on your own, how to learn to get out of this state when there is very little strength, there are no people nearby who could understand us?

Often we simply do not want to “open up” to strangers, seek help from specialists, and try to figure out our condition on our own. We don’t want to worry our loved ones...

In this article we have tried to select for you best recipes that will help you overcome critical moments in life on your own. To understand how to cope with a panic attack, let's understand its nature.

Unmotivated fear: a state of the body or an insidious ailment?

Panic attack (PA) is a type of anxiety disorder that is a neurotic disorder closely related to stress. Malaise occurs abruptly, unexpectedly, without any visible prerequisites or motives. Lasts no more than 10-20 minutes, quickly stops.

What happens in the body? Our “instinct of self-preservation” may perceive any situation as particularly critical. In response, the body mobilizes all resources with lightning speed, and a colossal surge of adrenaline occurs. Enormous tension is created, but no release occurs.

Consciousness at this moment can be compared to computer program. It begins to conflict with instinctive manifestations and “freezes,” and the body, deprived of control, becomes numb. It takes some time to release unnecessary stress.

This is interesting: Jean-Martin Charcot, the founder of the doctrine of the psychogenic nature of hysteria, was the first to attempt to systematize nervous-like conditions. In 1980, the term PA was proposed by the US Psychiatric Association as the main manifestation of panic disorders.

Despite the lightning-fast deterioration in well-being, it is possible to track the cascade of reactions that occur in the body.

How does paroxysmal anxiety occur?

1. The heart rate increases sharply.
2. There is a feeling of growing, “wild” fear.
3. It becomes difficult to inhale, there is a feeling of “a stake in the chest.”
4. Thermoregulation is disrupted - chills occur or perspiration appears.
5. Excessive urination occurs.
6. There is a feeling of tingling in the arms and legs, throbbing pain in the back of the head, pallor (marbling) of the skin.
7. Trembling of limbs.

For a person who often experiences panic disorder, the symptoms are always painful and frightening. Also, an attack of fear and panic may be accompanied by:

• internal trembling and nausea,
• pre-fainting state,
• fear of committing an uncontrollable act,
• confusion of thoughts,
• fear of dying, etc.

A person often does not understand where he is, what is happening to him, or what needs to be done. Because of this, doctors recommend that patients stay put.

Advice: You want to finally understand how to get rid of panic attacks quickly and forever. Realize that overwhelming fear is just an illusion and does not pose any danger to your life.

Mechanism of PA formation

Scientists are trying to thoroughly understand the mechanism of anxiety outbreaks and find out their causes. This is the “key” to understanding how to prevent their recurrence. There are many assumptions affecting both physiological and social aspects.

So, the supposed causes of the attack:

• Catecholamine.

The hypothesis is based on the fact that the level in the blood increases active substances catecholamines (adrenaline, norepinephrine, dopamine) produced by the adrenal glands. Under their influence, blood pressure increases, blood vessels constrict, and the nervous system is stimulated.

• Genetic.

Some researchers consider genetics to be the “culprit”. In support, there are facts that every fifth victim has relatives suffering from a similar illness.

• Psychoanalytic.

The founder of the hypothesis, Sigmund Freud, believed that the core of fear (anxiety) lies in the internal conflict, existing pressures, and limitations. Thus, obstacles in the path of sexual energy give rise to physical tension, which mental level and turns into anxiety.

• Cognitive.

Its supporters believe that the condition is caused by an erroneous interpretation of sensations. For example, heartbeat may be perceived as a factor in an existing threat to life. Further incorrect fixation of sensations leads to the development and repetition of unmotivated fear.

• Behavioral.

Seizures are triggered by external stimuli. For example, a rapid heart rate may be caused by the current dangerous situation. Subsequently, the conditioned reflex outbreak can be repeated without a threatening situation.

Panic doesn't go alone

Various illnesses are often fertile ground for the emergence and development of anxiety, including:

• diseases of cardio-vascular system, including vegetative-vascular dystonia;
• physiological conditions, including pregnancy and childbirth;
• endocrine diseases.

VSD with panic attacks have a number of similar symptoms, the main of which is a piercing fear of death, diarrhea and nausea. At cervical osteochondrosis Factors accompanying anxiety disorders may also be observed - dizziness, increased heart rate, etc.
Such symptoms must be taken into account if we want to overcome unpleasant illness without contacting doctors. How to get rid of panic attacks on your own? More on this in the article later.

Restoring the rhythm of breathing

Are you worried about panic attacks? How to fight on your own if it seems that the whole world is busy with its own affairs and you are alone with the disease? Do not despair! Learn a few proven ones breathing exercises and the insidious outbreak will surely fade away. Healing exercises will also help if you have painted everything in dark tones and are overcome by inexplicable sadness and blues.

1. Breathing 4X4. Before exercise, shake your hands lightly to relieve excess tension. We breathe under a slow count. For the first four counts, we inhale the air smoothly, as deeply as possible, for the next four counts, exhale as smoothly as possible.
2. We breathe with the help of a bag. Take any paper bag (for example, from a supermarket). Place the bag tightly against your face so that your mouth and nose are inside. Inhale and exhale the air from it evenly and calmly. Make sure that no outside air gets into the envelope.
3. Breathing into the palms. You can simply breathe “into your cupped palms.” The technique is the same as in the previous exercise.

Advice: Try to master . Want easier exercises? For you - breathing exercises Strelnikova. Regular exercise will give you peace and joy. Breathing practices will also help overcome psychological stress.

We rejoice

At home, in a store, on a train, in the subway, you feel like a panic attack is starting - what to do? Remember that any difficulty will recede if you are not afraid, but sincerely happy! Yes, yes, you should not panic, but rejoice! I just can’t get out of it. And again the answer is to rejoice!

So, let's learn to have fun in a difficult situation:

1. Let's smile! You can just do it to yourself. Scientists have long proven that smiling causes the production of serotonin, the hormone of happiness. Pleasure and panic are nonsense. Panic will disappear, good health will return. Be sure to try this completely simple and effective method!
2. We remember (read, listen) jokes, anecdotes, funny stories. Make a joke about approaching danger or lingering depression. It's great if you come up with a joke in advance anxiety. At a difficult moment, say it out loud several times. At first, it seems unrealistic, ineffective, difficult. But why not try?

Mastering meditation

Meditation helps many people cope with an approaching illness. On the Internet you can find many recommendations from experts, listen and watch videos.

If you don’t want to delve deeply into the process, close your eyes and try to concentrate on your breathing. Mentally “travel”, “draw” rivers, forests, lakes in your imagination... “Watch” the clouds floating in the sky, the sea tides...

With the help of such a simple technique, you can calm down and “slow down” the impending excitement.

Strengthening the situation

There is a paradoxical method that requires a certain amount of courage and preparation. Its essence is to intensify the attack. At first it really becomes more powerful (you are completely immersed in it), but very soon the opposite effect comes - the disease recedes.

Let's create

Do you know how to combat panic attacks with creativity? This is extremely interesting! Try to depict your fear on a piece of paper using colored pencils (paints, felt-tip pens). Add details to it to make it funny.

You can transfer your anxious thoughts to music. Listen to the sound of the melody, the strength of the sound, the words... Your task is to transfer your irrational anxieties and fears into creativity the way your soul desires.

As you can see, there is various methods for self-treatment of panic disorders. Get to know yourself, take care of yourself, because life is beautiful and should not be overshadowed by imaginary fears!

Anxiety is a condition familiar to many. If you constantly have unreasonable worries over everyday little things, you may have anxiety disorder- for example, general. However, if you suddenly experience attacks with rapid heartbeat, nausea, trembling, strong fear, you may have panic attacks. Panic attacks are scary, so it's important to know how to stop them when they happen. With proper attention and training, you can relieve the symptoms of panic attacks, combat anxiety, and prevent future attacks.

Steps

How to calm down during a panic attack

Use the grounding method to calm yourself during an attack. Focus on the things around you: five things you see; four things you can touch; three things that can be heard; two things you can smell; one thing to taste.

Do deep breaths. If you are having a panic attack, you may be short of breath. Even if you can breathe, you should take deep breaths to relieve stress, provide oxygen to your brain, and help you focus. If you are having a panic attack, stop and start breathing slowly.

Focus on how you feel. Your thoughts may become confused during a panic attack. Your sensations will become more intense and you will feel unable to cope with them. This occurs because your body enters fight-or-flight mode, causing your heart rate and breathing to speed up, your muscles to tense, and your circulation to be compromised. Stop and feel each sensation. This will help your brain go into automatic reactivity mode, meaning it will respond to stimuli in a specific way, breaking down information into separate parts.

Use cognitive biases. If you are having a panic attack, try to distract your brain from the fear using various factors. For example, start counting from 100 to zero, remember all the presidents in order of appearance, start reciting your favorite poem or lyrics from memory. Force yourself to do one or more of the things on this list and keep doing it until you can calm down a little.

Start practicing progressive muscle relaxation. This is a system of gradual tension and relaxation of all muscle groups. Using this technique, you can achieve two goals: concentrate on something distracted and relax your muscles. Start with the muscles of your face, then work your way through all the muscles to your toes.

• Tighten a muscle group for 5-10 seconds and then relax. You can do this several times for each group, but once will be enough.
• The largest muscle groups are the muscles of the jaw, mouth (clenched/relaxed), arms, hands, abdomen, buttocks, thighs, calves and feet.

1. Try to stop thoughts and replace them with others. This technique allows you to stop the flow of anxious thoughts and replace them with thoughts about something pleasant and calm. This will help you avoid rumination - that is, a vicious circle in which a person cannot stop worrying about something.

   • For example, let's say you're nervous about your upcoming plane flight and can't stop thinking about what will happen if the plane crashes. Just tell yourself “enough is enough,” either out loud or mentally.
   • Then replace those thoughts with something calm and positive. For example, think about a vacation you'll go on with your favorite friends and how you enjoy spending time with them.
   • It may take some time for this technique to start working, so be patient and don't ask too much of yourself.
   • This technique will not help you during a panic attack because the attacks may not have clear causes or triggers. However, this technique allows you to combat general anxiety.

2. Use guided mental imagery. This technique will allow you to relax and stop worrying.

   • Imagine a place where you feel good and calm. This could be your home, your favorite vacation spot, or the embrace of a loved one.
   • While thinking about this place, try to add sensations to the image so that your whole consciousness participates in the formation of the picture. This can be done with closed or with open eyes, although it will be easier for you with closed ones. Think about what you see, smell, touch, hear, and taste.
   • When you feel anxious, imagine this place. Imagine yourself in this place in a calm and relaxed state. Once you have managed to release the tension, you can complete the visualization.
   • You can also ask yourself a few questions. Is this a real danger? You are likely thinking “what if” and feeling fear, but you are not in danger. If you remove danger from the situation, it will be easier for you to relax.

3. Write down your feelings. If you often have panic attacks or anxiety attacks, start keeping a journal and describing your feelings in it. Write about how you feel, what you are afraid of, what you think or feel about the fear, how strong your feelings are. This will help you focus on your thoughts, and if you re-read your notes, you will be able to combat anxiety more easily.

   • At first you may feel like you have nothing to say. Continue to evaluate situations in which you feel anxious. When you learn to stop and analyze the situation, you can figure out what thoughts and feelings led to an anxiety attack.
   • When writing in your journal, try to be compassionate with yourself. Don't judge yourself or your thoughts. Remember: it is not always possible to control thoughts and feelings, and you should not consider them bad or good. You can only control your reaction.

4. Take care of your body. Taking care of your own physical health will help you maintain mental health. Sports and proper nutrition They won't cure your anxiety, but they will make it easier for you to cope with your anxiety.

   Do something. If you sit and think about the same thing, your anxiety will increase and you will find it difficult to overcome a panic attack. Distract your mind and body with something: wash something, draw, call a friend - do something that will occupy you. It's best to do what you really like.

   Try listening to music. Make a playlist of songs that help you relax and that lift your spirits. Next time you have an anxiety attack, listen to this music. Use noise-canceling headphones to avoid distractions from outside noise. Try to listen to everything: both sound and words. This will help distract your mind from fear.

   Ask your friends for help. If you're feeling panicked and can't calm down, call a friend or family member. Ask to distract you from panic and analyze your fear so that you can overcome discomfort. If you often have panic attacks, teach a friend in different ways fight them so that he can help you if you turn to him.

Help from specialists

Seek help from a psychotherapist. If you have severe panic attacks that continue long time, make an appointment with a psychotherapist. You may have panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder, both of which are treatable.

Talk to your doctor. Find in selected countries good specialist difficult, especially if you have a low income and insurance does not cover these services. As a rule, only psychotherapists and psychiatrists can prescribe treatment, however, an ordinary neurologist can diagnose “ increased anxiety"or "depression" and prescribe medications.

1. Look for special clinics and other organizations. If you can't afford to see a therapist, look for inexpensive options. There are several possibilities.

   • Clinics. They can be attended by psychotherapists.
   • Try contacting paid branch clinics. There, doctor's services will cost much less than in a medical center.
   • In some countries, when medical universities there are consultations. Sometimes only students can use them, but there are also those where anyone can apply. As a rule, doctor's services there are inexpensive or provided free of charge.

The sensations that are characteristic of a panic attack are familiar to, perhaps, every person. Many people have become lucky and only once having experienced this state, they no longer remember it. But there is a category of people who have panic attacks regularly, and with each subsequent time the sensations become more pronounced and frightening.

During a panic attack, suddenly there is a feeling that “the ground is disappearing from under your feet,” and shortly before this state, most people experienced powerful ones. The condition in question can be provoked by addiction to alcohol, abortion, early onset of sexual activity, painful divorce, and the death of a loved one - any factors that negatively affect the psycho-emotional background.

Every person needs to know about panic attacks, because it will help not only prevent an attack in themselves, but also help to a loved one, if this condition is already in the onset stage.

Risk groups for panic attack

In medicine, it is customary to distinguish two groups of people who are susceptible to the condition in question.

Risk group 1

This includes young or middle-aged people who, in the eyes of others, look quite prosperous. They are characterized by being reliable, courageous, and can overcome any obstacles in the world. life path, make a stunning career, never show their true emotions in public and have a heightened sense of responsibility.

Perhaps the listed qualities will seem simply ideal to some, but there is still a problem. The fact is that such “brave/reliable/responsible” people accumulate stressful moments inside themselves, the body gets tired and “relieves” its overstrain with a panic attack.

Risk group 2

This includes people who live in “greenhouse” conditions, but they contradict the essence ordinary life when you need to constantly develop, move forward and even fight for your “place in the sun”. The result of such a life is internal conflict- a person cannot fully realize himself and the body protests with a panic attack.

How to cope with a panic attack on your own

If panic attacks occur regularly, then you should think about adjusting your lifestyle and diet. Doctors recommend visiting more often fresh air, include lean meat in your diet, fatty fish, vegetables and fruits. Eliminating alcohol from your life will have a very positive effect on your health; relaxation techniques that help get rid of stress are also considered an excellent option for preventing panic attacks.

Helping a loved one with a panic attack

If you find yourself next to a person who is having a panic attack, you can and should make some efforts to help him cope with the problem. What should be done:

Note:If a loved one has a panic attack, then under no circumstances should you worry, worry or be nervous - this can intensify the attack and worsen the patient’s condition. After the panic attack ends, it is advisable to talk with the patient and explain the need to seek qualified medical help.

As a rule, this is a “complex” of biological and psychological factors. Therefore, with this problem, you will first need to contact a therapist, and he will give a referral for examination by a more narrow specialists– neurologist, psychotherapist, cardiologist. Only with the help of special techniques will it be possible to truly pass effective treatment. Unfortunately, self-treatment will not give results.

- a severe attack of fear or anxiety that difficult to control on your own.

It is accompanied not only by mental, but also physical symptoms, such as increased sweating, rapid heartbeat, sudden changes in blood pressure, trembling of the limbs or the whole body, nausea, dizziness, chills, heart pain, feeling of lack of air.

People with phobias and others mental disorders, It is important to know, how to deal with panic attacks yourself to quickly feel better if this condition occurs.

Why do you dream scary dreams, from which you wake up? Find out about this from ours.

Fighting methods

In somatic diseases, conditions are observed that very similar to panic attacks, therefore, before visiting a psychotherapist or starting to try to cope with them on your own, you should undergo a general examination to rule out hyperthyroidism, tumor formations in the adrenal glands, and disturbances in the functioning of the heart.

Some medications can also cause panic attacks.

There are many methods to combat panic attacks, from psychoanalysis to hypnotherapy. But cognitive behavioral psychotherapy is recognized as the most effective. Her techniques are quite simple, so almost anyone can apply them on their own.

Who is treating? If panic attacks are observed very often and are accompanied by severe somatic and mental symptoms, It's better to see a psychotherapist and work together with him.

Panic attacks are usually the result of other health problems. mental health, which is not always possible to cope with on your own, you can only stop the attack.

Attacks are observed when the following diseases and disorders: depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, severe neurosis, neurosis-like. If treatment is not started on time, these conditions will progress.

Panic attacks. A simple solution. Evidence-based medicine:

Cognitive behavioral psychotherapy: working with automatic thoughts

Automatic thoughts- this is what can cause a panic attack.

Such thoughts are not always properly comprehended by people, but it is important to know: correct work with them can radically change a person’s condition.

Example of automatic thoughts:"Something too often in Lately headache. What if this is a sign of cancer?”, “I awkwardly took the glass from the counter and spilled a little. What if someone saw this and is now laughing at me?”

Automatic thoughts are often tied to the root causes of attacks and reflect them, so they can relate to the topic of phobias that a person has, or those negative events that happened to him earlier and left a mark, or something else.

The psychotherapist teaches you to notice automatic thoughts and gives you tasks to write them down. Automatic Thought Chart, which needs to be outlined in the diary, has several sections, among which the following are always present: “Automatic thoughts”, “Refutation of automatic thoughts”.

There may also be others, for example, an assessment of one’s own well-being as a percentage before and after a refutation. When a thought appears, you need to record it and write in another column why it is irrational.

For most people who use this method, their condition improves noticeably within a few days.

The main problem with this method- distrust on the part of a person who cannot believe that some records can help him. For this reason, a psychotherapist is often needed at least at the initial stage of treatment. It will help you understand how it works and explain why automatic thoughts are irrational.

Changing attitudes towards somatic symptoms accompanying an attack

People who experience a panic attack are often frightened by what accompanies it.

Their mental condition getting worse, they may begin to suspect terrible disease because of what they feel during an attack.

Makes it possible for a person to understand that rapid heartbeat, heart pain, nausea, hot and cold sensations, pressure surges are symptoms of a panic attack, which are not actually a sign physical illness and do not threaten human life.

Also, during panic attacks, people often resort to the help of hypnotherapists, hoping that they will easily, literally in one session, eliminate panic attacks. However, this is not how it works, but hypnosis techniques used by a qualified hypnotherapist can really help.

The hypnotherapist prepares the patient for hypnosis, explains to him the mechanism of a panic attack, teaches him to relax and trust. This usually takes several sessions. And only after this the patient is immersed in a real trance, which can really improve the condition.

Methods of psychoanalytic psychotherapy, which is based on psychoanalysis, can be used as auxiliary methods.

It allows a person to find contradictions within himself and solve them in order to get rid of panic attacks in the long term.

What to do during an attack?

Basic first aid methods that will allow a person to quickly overcome a panic attack during an attack:

How to get rid of fear public speaking? you will find on our website.

How to help yourself at night?

Panic attacks affect people not only during the day, but also at night, sometimes during sleep or falling asleep. And it is not always possible to turn on the light and start doing something to reduce panic, especially if it is very important to get enough sleep so as not to fall asleep on the go while working or studying.

Standard methods of getting ready for bed:

You can stop a night attack the same way as a day attack, except that you have to use your imagination or use gadgets that are nearby.

Breathe smoothly, try to focus on something positive, wrap yourself in a blanket more tightly, if you have a partner, you can hug him so that feel warm and protected.

Some people find it helpful to have pets or fluffy stuffed animals to pet when panic strikes.

How to relieve a panic attack at home yourself:

Treatment at home

Drug therapy helps reduce the frequency of attacks and improve overall well-being.

However, many of medicines, which are used to relieve panic attacks, can only be prescribed by the attending physician.

List of medications:

1. Antidepressants. They have a positive effect on mood and reduce anxiety. They are used not only to treat depression, but also when working with other mental disorders. Examples: Prozac, Zoloft.
2. Sedatives. Reduce fear, anxiety, improve sleep. Examples: valerian tablets, Novo-Passit.
3. Homeopathy. Despite a lot of criticism of homeopathy from the scientific community and evidence of its complete ineffectiveness, many people still believe that homeopathic remedies are able to help them. Examples: Tenoten.

But homeopathy can only work as a placebo. If a person is sure that homeopathy will help him, it may work, but not because it is effective, but because he has convinced himself of it.

4. Benzodiazepines. Usually prescribed in cases where panic attacks are severe. Effectively reduce anxiety and fear, have a beneficial effect on sleep, and relax muscles. Examples: Grandaxin, Diazepam, .
5. Nootropics. Some nootropics also have a calming effect, improve mood, and have a positive effect on blood supply to the brain. Examples: Glycine, Phenibut.

Traditional methods, especially herbal medicine, can also improve the condition of a person suffering from panic attacks.

Examples of the best remedies:

1. Decoctions of soothing herbs. In pharmacies you can buy ready-made sedative fees, packaged in tea bags that need to be brewed in a mug according to the instructions. Typically, such collections include chamomile, motherwort, valerian, mint, lemon balm, hop cones, and licorice.
2. Taking baths with soothing herbs : mint, lemon balm, chamomile, motherwort. You can collect them yourself or buy them in special stores and pharmacies.

What to do if you're scared at home alone? find out right now.

About the main ones errors in treatment panic attacks in this video:

other methods

Meditation

It is considered one of the techniques relaxation.

If you master it and practice it regularly, it will help you feel good throughout your life.

Regular meditation will not help you get rid of panic attacks immediately, but after six months to a year after starting, most people experience lasting improvements.

And although specialized types of meditation are difficult to master, basic relaxation meditation Anyone can master it.

• take a comfortable position (contrary to the belief of many, it is not necessary to meditate exclusively in the lotus position);
• concentrate on breathing and try to relax;
• there may be thoughts in your head during meditation, but they should not disturb you or cause emotions, so if they appear, turn your attention to your breathing and general relaxation of the body;
• If it’s difficult to meditate in silence, turn on music.

Breathing exercises, use of the package

Breathing into the bag- a long-used technique that allows you to get rid of hyperventilation.

When a person panics, their brain is over-oxygenated. If you breathe into a paper bag, the amount of it will decrease and the panic will subside.

Take a paper bag, press it to your nose and mouth and start breathing into it through your mouth. Exhalation is also done through the mouth, so that the bag is filled with carbon dioxide.

Other breathing exercises:

Autotraining

- this is essentially self-hypnosis method. However, it is unlikely to help stop attacks, but it can improve a person’s condition between attacks, reduce it internal tension, calm down.

During an attack, a person is too panicked to respond to standard auto-training techniques, so this may not work.

Also auto training will not be effective if panic attacks are too severe and other treatment methods are not used.

The auto-training session takes place in three stages. In the first, a person is immersed in a state of trance, in the second he gives himself certain instructions aimed at combating panic attacks, and in the third he wakes up.

If conduct them regularly, using recommendations from specialized books and including audio recordings of auto-training, you can achieve good results.

Panic reactions can be cured if you purposefully engage in techniques, consult with psychotherapists and solve accumulated problems in different ways.

However, it is difficult to say whether they can be cured permanently. Life is changeable, full of stress and anxiety, so under certain conditions, especially if a person is sensitive, they may come back again.

Prevention

To reduce the risk of seizures returning, important:

• get enough sleep regularly;
• move more, train, do gymnastics;
• to walk outside;
• communicate with good, pleasant people and get rid of toxic communication;
• avoid stress;
• Do your favorite things more often;
• read fiction books: reading can prevent depression and improve your condition significantly;
• find effective methods self-soothing and use them when necessary.

It is also important to listen to yourself and rationally alternate work and rest so that the grip of stress does not lead to the development of severe disorders.

If find balance in the flow of life, fill life with joy, satisfaction and tranquility as much as possible, the likelihood that panic attacks will return will be reduced to a minimum.

Medicines for panic attacks:

Stress that has become a familiar companion modern life, I found some insidious helpers - panic attacks. They can overtake you anywhere - at home, at an important meeting, on public transport... And although the sensations in such a situation are, to put it mildly, uncomfortable, everyone can cope with an attack. The main thing is not to let him take over. the site will reveal the secrets of how to effectively and quickly get rid of a panic attack.

What are panic attacks

Panic attacks- this is not fatal, but very, very unpleasant. A person is suddenly overcome by a feeling of terrible anxiety, accompanied by fear - an inexplicable feeling and this makes it especially painful. In combination with various somatic symptoms, these sensations become simply unbearable for a person, and if they are not curbed at the very beginning, then it can even lead to the emergence of phobias. To prevent this from happening, it is important to learn how to cope with attacks

Panic attacks are nothing more than the body’s reaction to a failure in communication between the brain and the body. This misunderstanding, like any other, can be resolved if you master some simple secrets.

Before starting any fight, it is worth studying the enemy. What are panic attacks? This is an attack lasting from several minutes to several hours with a feeling of severe anxiety and fear. To put it simply: this is a malfunction in the brain’s functioning system, which results in a kind of false alarm with a surge of adrenaline, which puts the body on “combat readiness.” The body immediately reacts to potential danger:

• heartbeat and breathing increase,
• sweating increases,
• blood pressure rises,
• nausea appears
• suffers from insomnia.

Breathing problems can cause choking, dizziness, numbness in the limbs, and even fainting. That's when fear appears - an ally of a panic attack. A person may feel like he is going crazy, incurable disease and he dies. Naturally, he begins to scroll through all the options, and anxiety grows like a snowball. To prevent this from happening, it is important to stop a panic attack at the very beginning - at the stage of adrenaline release, without allowing the snowball to turn into an avalanche that can cover you completely.

So, it did happen! You shouldn't hesitate, but you shouldn't fuss either. Read these simple tips, and perhaps you will be able to extinguish the attack of this illness.

1. Breathe. Breathe slowly into a paper bag (as American movie characters often do) or by placing your palms over your mouth to restore the rhythm of your breathing.
2. Drink up. But not intoxicating, but quite the opposite: in small sips cold water(100-150 ml).
3. Wash. Cool water brings you back to your senses. Rinse your face, imagining the causes of the panic attack being washed away. If you have a bottle of thermal water, use it.
4. Talk. With friends, family on the phone, with virtual interlocutors on the Internet, with a diary, or with a random fellow traveler if trouble overtook you, for example, on the subway. Talk about something pleasant and exciting for you. If there is no one nearby or you don’t want to talk to strangers, talk to... yourself. Say out loud (if you are at home) everything you do. Find words of encouragement and reassurance for yourself, your loved one.
5. Distance yourself. Realize that your emotions are short-lived and will soon evaporate. So let go of your thoughts and take the position of a passive observer.

Remember: a panic attack is not an opponent in a fight to the death. Therefore, do not engage in battle, do not argue with him, otherwise the adrenaline level will increase and anxiety will intensify. Mentally “step away” and watch from the side how his strength is depleted.

1. Sing. If you are not in a public place, sing a cheerful song, focusing on its content and mentally imagining a video sequence to the words.
2. Keep your hands busy. Rub your palms until you feel warm in them, remember an expander or a simple rubber ball, shake your hands.
3. Relax your body. Ideally, lie down and turn on calm music. Imagine that you are a piece of fluff floating over a flowering meadow breathing peace.

1. To solve problems. It doesn’t matter what: remember a theorem, solve a crossword puzzle, create a new route to work, play a game downloaded to your phone, describe it on foreign language everything you see in front of you... The main thing is to switch your brain from a panic attack to solving a problem.
2. Stroke the fur of a cat, dog, or hamster. Talk to your pet. If you have an aquarium at home, great! Look at the smooth movements of the fish and tell them how beautiful they are, how lucky you are to have such silent friends.
3. Chew. For example, chewing gum. It's good if it's menthol.
4. Become a boss. When the fear begins to slowly go away, tell yourself: “I decide everything here, because I am in charge. I turned off the adrenaline tap, so body, calm down! You are in my power. And I'm fine!".

Forewarned is forearmed. We hope that the site’s advice will help you nip the monster called a panic attack in the bud. However, a visit to the doctor will be very helpful!