Posts Tagged ‘Heartbeat’

Coping With Panic Attacks – 5 Proven Ways to Help You Cope With Panic Attacks

There are lots of people who suffer from panic attacks and don’t know the curative ways of coping with panic attacks. They all know the terrifying stage of the panic attack though. Generally, the most common symptoms of an attack are dizziness, anxiety, body trembling, stress, heartbeat palpatations/racing, sweating, and the like. But coping with panic attacks can certainly be a Herculean task to say the least.

So here are 5 proven ways to assist you in coping with panic attacks:

1. Perform some Physical and Mental Exercise

It has been said that physical and mental exercise helps a lot in coping with panic attacks. You should take a walk and breathe fresh air in an open area like the park, which will help to reduce your stress level. And reducing stress is the first stage for coping with panic attacks. Following this technique alone can help you avoid anxiety, which is usually the main cause of panic attacks.

2. Keep your Mind and Body Well Relaxed

First of all, when you are stressed, take a break for a moment. Take a walk or indulge in some other things for a time. Maybe perform something enjoyable! You will then be able to give your body some much needed relaxation, and help keep your mind calm. Always perform deep breathing and stretching exercises too. This will go a long way when trying to cope with your panic attacks.

3. Miss Out On Alcohol and Caffeine!

Avoiding Alcohol and Caffeine from your routine is also another way to cope with panic attacks. While consuming alcohol, many think that it actually reduces your stress level and helps to relax you. But this is so far from the truth, it has been proved by medical science that alcohol actually makes panic attacks much worse. And the same applies to Caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant, thus helping to increase the effects of panic and anxiety. It has also been proven that consumption of caffeine seriously enhances your chances of having panic attacks much more regularly. So avoid those temptations to avoid the demons of Anxiety and Panic.

4. Take Up A Healthy Diet

Taking up a healthy diet really helps you when coping with panic attacks. There is a saying that “A healthy body breeds a healthy mind” and it really works on the treatment of panic attacks. It is a fact that a healthy diet can also help you to reduce your stress level. Healthy diets make you stronger and obviously healthier, by which helping you to avoid panic attacks.

5. Plenty Of Shut Eye!

Tiredness and Fatigue can increase your chances of panic attacks and make them much more intense. It has been researched and proved that sleeping can reduce your stress. A person should generally have at least 7-8 hours sleep per night, and if you are adult, then try to incorporate a little bit more if possible. Not having enough sleep at night will increase your stress level, which may trigger panic attacks the next day.

Nothing is impossible- just a few precautionary measures can do wonders in coping with panic attacks.

The Greatest Myths Surrounding Panic Attacks

1. Thinking You Have No Control Of Your Feelings

It’s an easy enough assumption to make as the panic attacks seem to come from out of nowhere but the real problem is not that first flash of panic but the fact that you are terrified of the feelings. If you can take that fear out and not be scared of HOWEVER you are feeling they simply do not happen, ever again. To solve this problem you need to learn EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques). This simple technique will take your fear on any topic down to zero, very fast. It is a method which utilises tapping on the meridian points while saying out loud a statement of how you are feeling. You take a reading before and after so you can quickly verify your results which gives you confidence to continue.

2. Confusing The Feelings Of Physical Exertion With Panic

This is a big one and what stops most panic attack sufferers from getting excited or involved with anything. The symptoms of panic attacks are caused by an increase of adrenaline so any feelings that are similar instantly make you think you are about to have an attack. At one point I couldn’t bear to watch game shows as the anticipation was just too much for me. Once you add even more adrenaline to the mix and increase your heartbeat by even a millisecond you start to freak out again. The solution to this one is quite simple. Recognise this is what is happening and say to yourself, it’s ok, I’m just feeling the symptoms of physical exertion/excitement, I am not panicking. And it’s a good opening statement to get down to zero using EFT. You can use something like – Even though the feelings of physical exertion make me feel like I’m going to panic…

3. Ignoring Advice To Take A Deep Breath

Your chest is clenched tight, you can’t breath, and some well meaning person is saying, take a deep breath now. And all you can think is, are you mad, why would I want my head spinning even more? The thing is that hyperventilation causes the exact same symptoms as panic. When you can’t breath you are breathing from your chest, in essence overbreathing, and a few deep breaths from your abdomen will stop this almost instantly. The trick is to practise when you are feeling relatively ok and feel safe, so when you start to feel uncomfortable you can take a single deep breath, really feeling your abdomen pushing out, which will quickly rebalance your blood oxygen levels and let you breath easily again.

4. Making It All About Your Panic Attacks

It’s easy, I know, if you are suffering from panic and anxiety to let it completely overtake your life. After all, every little thing you do must be planned and your feelings taken into account which turns every activity into a major event. Make today the last day this happens. Take time to project your interest and attention onto something else, maybe a hobby you used to like doing, reading a book you have been meaning to get round to, constructing the Taj Mahal out of matchsticks, whatever you once spent hours being immersed in without a second thought. Make a special effort to acquire the materials needed to direct your attention away from yourself. Phone some friends and resist the temptation to talk about yourself. Genuinely engaging with others has a profoundly healing effect on you and those around you who may be feeling neglected while you have been busy coping with your own feelings. Do one thing today that has nothing to do with your panic.

5. Being Too Hard On Yourself

People who suffer from panic attacks constantly berate themselves for being weak and wimpy and this is just not the case. You are managing to manifest some major psychosomatic symptoms and that’s powerful reality creation. Just think what you could do if your conscious and unconscious minds were working together, wow! Be kind to yourself, even forgive yourself for what is happening right now and know that you have the strength to do something about this. And remember, while you are recovering do not push yourself or feel you have to do everything you are asked to prove yourself. Your biggest strength lies in being able to say NO loudly and without guilt.

This article was presented by Panic Defence, the UK’s leading name in combating panic and anxiety. If you would like a <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”http://www.panichandbook.com”>free download</a> with easy and effective tips to end panic, visit www.panichandbook.com now.

Living with Anxiety? Find the Best Anxiety Attack Treatment For You

I wanted to scream. I remember myself trying to say to my husband that I was feeling weird, but I couldn’t talk even tough all my body and mind was shouting Anxiety Attack Help. At that time I wanted the best anxiety attack remedy. I had several anxiety attacks and they are frightening but the good thing is, episodes are generally harmless. In most cases, attacks rarely last for more than 30 minutes, with peak of intensity within the first 10 minutes.  

These are the symptoms of anxiety attack episode

Hyperventilation Heart palpitation (increase in heartbeat) Hot flashes or chills Feeling detached or unreal Nausea or stomach crams Sweating Chest discomfort or pain Choking sensation Dizziness Feeling of losing control, going crazy; or fear of dying Trouble breathing Surge of overwhelming panic Trembling or shaking

Anxiety attack help comes in all shapes and sizes. 

To handle an anxiety attacks try this tips and treatments:

Relax – Even though it is often impossible to relax during an attack, do not submit yourself to your emotion. Breathe. During an anxiety attack, focus your breathing to slow down your heartbeat. Deep breathing helps calms and relaxes your mind and body.

Think positively – Again, during an anxiety attack, it is often impossible to relax or even calm yourself, but you have to be in control. Push more optimistic thoughts to your head. Instead of thinking that you are going to faint because you cannot take the pressure, think of things that are positive and nice. Do no think that something bad will happen. Keep in mind that the more you think negatively, the more anxious and panicky it is going to be.

Think that it will be over soon – and it will. Anxiety attacks rarely last for more than 30 minutes so relax. You don’t even have to count every minute that passed. What you should be doing is be conscious that it will not going to last forever.

Start an exercise program – Exercise has lots of benefits both to the mind and the body. It is also a great stress buster and anxiety reliever. Experts agree that as little as 30 minutes of exercise, 3 to 5 times a week is enough to reduce the chances of having anxiety attacks and at the same time lower the level of stress. What we do can have an effect on our quest for anxiety attack help. It is also a good idea to take some time and practice deep breathing exercises even if you are not stressed or feel anxious.

Talk to someone you trust – It can be your wife or husband, a friend, a relative or a therapist. Often, having someone who listens and understands what a person is going through will make a lot of difference. This is because it allows you to bring out your emotion rather than keeping it to yourself.

Meditation – has long been credited to relieve stress and anxiety as it promotes the release of negative energy from the body, relaxes tensed muscles, and calms the mind, which in turn, effectively reduces irrational fear and apprehension. Meditation may not be for all because of the time required to master the technique, however, with proper guidance of an expert or a little bit of patience and dedication, you can reap its benefits.

Breathing technique – is one of the most effective ways in controlling anxiety attacks. Proper breathing helps slow down heartbeat and helps calm the tensed muscles as a result of the attack. Breathing also diverts the mind’s attention from the “trigger” and calms the self, thus, stopping the attack even faster. Proper breathing techniques are easy to learn and master. 

Herbs – (such as passion flower, lavender, chamomile and ginkgo biloba) are very effective long-term treatment for anxiety attacks. Since they are all-natural, they posses no side effects. They may not be as aggressive as prescription drugs but they work just as effective.

Prescription medicines – are a major help in stopping the symptoms of anxiety and episodes of anxiety attacks. Antidepressants are the most common anxiety treatment. They must be taken continuously, which may take as long as six weeks before noticing the effects. Beta-blockers are a type of drugs that prevent symptoms from recurring.

Eat balanced diet – Like exercise, a well-balanced diet is important in keeping the body healthy, resistant to illnesses, and reduce stress level. Try to eat natural or organic foods. Keep away from processed foods or those that include preservatives and chemicals. These are some processed foods:

Packaged cakes and cookies Sugary breakfast cereals White breads and pastas made with refined white flour, which are not as healthy as those Frozen fish sticks and frozen dinners Boxed meal mixes Made with whole grains High-fat convenience foods, like cans of ravioli Packaged high-calorie snack foods, like chips and cheese snacks Canned foods with lots of sodium Processed meats

Therapies – are a very important anxiety treatment. These target the psychological aspect of anxiety. CBT or the cognitive-behavioral therapy is used to alter the way of thinking – converting negative thoughts into positive ones. Techniques used in CBT include role-playing and relaxation technique. Exposure therapy exposes the person to the physical sensations of panic in a safe and controlled environment. Through repeated exposure, patients gain greater self control and more confidence in facing fearful situation.

Avoid smoking and caffeine. Caffeine (from coffee, soda and tea) as well as smoking cigarettes can provoke anxiety attacks. It is wise, to avoid these things as much as possible.