Managing Panic Attacks: Immediate Steps and Long-Term Strategies

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Panic Attacks

Managing Panic Attacks: Immedi...

Mental Health

Smritti Sridhar

July 19 , 2024

““You Need To Calm Down” - Taylor Swift. And almost everyone else to someone who is having a panic attack. ”
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As if that helps?!

Let's define a panic attack before we break down why it doesn’t. It is a period of extreme ‘fight or flight’ response in the body that is characterized by sweating, breathlessness, nausea, chest pain, dizziness, blurred vision and feeling like you’re going crazy, having a heart attack or even going to die. One attack can last anywhere between 5 minutes to 30 minutes, and frequent panic attacks may be a sign of a panic disorder. The general criteria for diagnosis is continuation for one month.

Like OCD, anxiety, depression and ADHD, panic disorders are commonly trivialized and excessively generalized. The triggers for an actual panic attack are unknown so far, and research hasn’t yet revealed the exact mechanisms in the brain during a panic attack.

What we DO know is that adrenaline in the bloodstream during a panic attack is 2.5 times higher than normal levels. That feels like your sympathetic nervous system is on fire. SO, IT’S REAL. It’s not their fault and it’s mostly uncontrollable. If you’re someone who’s had a panic attack or seen someone close to you go through it, you know what it’s like. Here’s a hug, a fist bump and my request for your autograph. You're amazing.

While telling someone how cool they are can go a long way in making them feel better, it’s good to know a few specific measures that are useful in managing panic attacks. Here’s how to keep your perfectly valid AND controllable fear of panic attacks in check!

1. Immediate Measures

(For when you’re experiencing a panic attack. AKA The Battlefield Kit)

Box Breathing: It is a type of breathing technique where you inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds, then repeat the cycle. This regulates your breathing, giving you a little more control over yourself while relaxing your muscles. It also gives you something to focus on.
Counting/Noticing things around you: Depending on where you’re experiencing the attack, you can pick a category of objects or colours or any other characteristic and count all the things surrounding you that happen to fall under it. For example, if you’re at work, you can count the number of people with black or white shoes.
Indulging in a hobby/passing time: Try to get up and move towards something that comforts you, like the television or your favourite book. This is difficult to do, it may even seem impossible, but even picking up a pencil and doodling (scribbling even), or using some threads to form a braid can help slow the rush you’re feeling.
Music: Listening to your favourite artist can go a long way in reducing the duration of a panic attack because in such a situation, music is like a radio and your brain is the average cabin dweller. You will tune right in and vibe with it.

Photo by Mohamed Nohassi Team on Unsplash

2. Long Term Measures

(To improve your overall ability to handle panic attacks and maintain good mental health. AKA The Flourishing Empire Kit)

Yoga and Pranayama: Pranayama translates to controlling breath. Yoga is great for people with panic or anxiety disorders because it works both physical and mental aspects of the body, but in case of panic attacks, provides a brilliant toolkit of breathing techniques to combat them properly.
Exercise: Any form of physical workout releases stress, strengthens muscles and releases endorphins. Doing some workout for at least 30 minutes every day improves your overall physiological and emotional health and has proven to reduce the frequency of panic attacks when combined with therapy and/or medication.
Eating healthy: Simply eating the food that works for you and contributes towards better gut health affects your mental health majorly. Staying hydrated and eating balanced meals is one lifestyle tip that is most helpful for people experiencing panic attacks.
Therapy: If you’ve been diagnosed with a panic disorder, or have been experiencing frequent attacks for about a month, you should seek professional help. Therapy can help you identify potential stressors that contribute towards your panic attacks and manage them.

Photo by Jared Rice Team on Unsplash

Having a little more clarity and someone to share it with is the nicest feeling in the world, so with your therapist, like the wonderful humans at Heart It Out, and a good support system, you’ll be able to thrive with a little less fear and a little more sunshine. With the 2 Kits I just gave you, you’ll feel cooler than an iced lime soda. Not effortlessly, because #NoPainzNoGainz, but you won’t be sweating alone.

Remember, there’s a whole community here that believes in you!