What tactics do you use?

[DustinS85]

When you have a really bad panic attack and you need to focus on something or help cope with it....what do you use as a technique? What helps you?

[Greenbooks82]

I use mindfulness. I will focus on touching an object that is soft or smooth or whatever. I put it in my hands and focus on how it feels. Sometimes I’ll list 20 things that start with a certain letter and I’ll pick a category that I’m interested in. I was panicking last week, and a friend of mine had me name 20 movies that started with a P. Anything that helps my brain focus on something else. Anything that engages your senses..even focusing on a pleasant smell (like coffee or lavender) can help my brain cool down.

[jkl5500]

I'm not a doctor, but I'll give you my two cents on dealing with panic and high anxiety. When it's really bad, I usually breathe more slowly, and from my stomach. I don't focus on anything in particular, I just "space out" and try to relax my body as much as possible. Then I will begin to realize that 1) the world is not ending, 2) the feelings I experienced were not real and 3) as painful as those feelings were, they should be ignored, because they were false messages from my brain.

It's much easier said than done, I know, but that is the path towards control of these feelings. I wish there was some way to "erase" these awful thoughts and feelings so I'd never have to remember them again. Since there isn't, I can do the next best thing and control them, and get my life back. You can do it, too.

[seekingthegood]

one strategy I use when I feel a panic attack coming on is to name (in my head) all of the things around me to change my thought process, ie "brown chair, red cup, blue shirt..."

[Want2BHappy3]

What I was told and makes sense is to Not fight it because it's your nerves that are creating that feeling of Panic. When you fight it, the nerves get more Stressed.

You have to let it Ride it's self out. Doesn't sound right. I also try to detract myself. Try watching you tube. There are specialist that give advice on How to deal it. Or check out a website Panicaway.com.

[Hollienewseason]

I do the breathing first. Inhale to the count of 4, hold it for a count of 4, then exhale to a count of 4. I do it a few times when I feel panic coming on during high anxiety. It's best to beat it before it beats you. If I'm by myself I begin to say things out loud. Could be anything, but order works best. Like naming everyone I know birthday in January, February etc. Counting backwards from 100 etc. You get the drift. But saying it out loud works best for me. Good luck!