Why me?
Panic attacks, if left unchecked can and do take over your life. They may begin as low-level anxious feelings, but can they can quickly escalate out of control if you allow them to.
They tend to come and go relatively quickly, usually building to their peak within 10 minutes, but while they last, they can feel pretty intense and quite exhausting.
The first thing to know is that panic attacks are very common so you are far from alone. I am often surprised by the number of people who come to me with anxiety problems. An awful lot of research has gone into this subject and many of the old methods have now been replaced with much more effective techniques.
Many people suffer in silence, thinking there is no cure, that there is something in their genetic make-up that makes these attacks somehow inevitable. However, we now know this is not the case and that this condition is surprisingly easy to cure, using some very easy to follow techniques.
However, if left unchecked, many people who have panic attacks begin to avoid situations that make them feel anxious, no matter how irrational it may seem. This avoidance strategy simply makes matters worse.
By following these five easy steps, you can get yourself back on the right track. They can actually stop an attack in its tracks.
What Is A Panic Attack?
A panic attack is quite simply caused by an excess of adrenaline in your bloodstream. Something triggers an anxious feeling and a message is sent to your body to produce adrenaline that there is a need to take action.
This 'fight or flight' response causes physical symptoms that can be misinterpreted as a heart attack or some other serious physical condition. Misinterpreting these symptoms can cause the fear response to actually worsen and thus begins the vicious cycle.
The technique to stop a panic attack
All you need to do is to block the message from transmitting to your adrenal glands. Sounds difficult, but it's really quite simple.
Learn my 5 easy RATAR steps whenever an anxiety attack threatens to strike and it will be stopped in its tracks:
- Relax and breathe.
- Accept.
- Think.
- Act Normal
- Repeat.
Step 1. Relax and breathe.
Relax by taking deep slow, deep, complete breaths. Don't rush your breaths. Allow your lungs to fill slowly and fully. When ready, let out the breath just as slowly. At the same time focus on relaxing your body, particularly your neck and shoulders.
Keep taking deep, slow and complete breaths until your symptoms subside. Deep slow breathing will slowly dissipate the carbon dioxide in your bloodstream, a major factor in controlling your mood.
Just remember not to rush your breathing as this can lead to hyperventilation, which could have the opposite effect.
Step 2. Accept
Accepting your feelings is very important. Be your own doctor and examine what emotions you are experiencing. Most attacks are the result of a fear of some kind.
So accept your symptoms and don't fight them - this is what your panic attack expects you to do so it's important to confuse it. By accepting your feelings, you are taking back control away from the condition. So much better than fighting against it and losing!
Step 3. Think
... of other things. When an attack strikes, it wants your full attention. Don't give it that power by distracting yourself to other thoughts.
One tried and tested method is to count backwards from 100 in groups of 3.
But really, anything will do - a maths problem, a crossword puzzle, anything that demands your mental focus.
Step 4. Act normal.
Carry on as if nothing has happened. Again it gives the attack nothing to latch onto and confuses it. What were you about to do before it struck? Then carry on and do it. Even if doing so takes a huge effort. It will become easier each time.
Step 5. Repeat.
These steps when taken together are extremely powerful. But sometimes they take a little practice. So print them out, preferably onto coloured paper and keep them with you.
Then run through them, just like reviewing a shopping list until they become automatic.
Good luck and best wishes.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beth_O'Connor
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