6 secrets to fight back against panic attacks and anxiety
Written on 22nd Oct 2013 by Sylvia Lowery
Anxiety and panic attacks can have a terrible impact on a person’s life. Here are some ways that have helped others to work through them. This is a personal experience that has been shared to help others. For a basic idea of what a panic attack may feel like, look here.
A good article on panic disorder can be found here.
A crowded room can trigger a panic attack.
1. Explain how anxiety works.
Wait until the person is calm and rested. Anxiety is a natural response to a dangerous situation. A lot of the sensations of a panic attack are to do with the fight or flight response. If you are in real danger, your body will make changes that will help you to get out of the dangerous situation. These are the sort of changes to expect.
Heart rate becomes faster.
Tunnel vision.
Become sweaty.
Muscles become tight. This may lead to stomache cramps.
Sounds might be louder and distorted.
When you are in danger, your brain will be thinking of anything dangerous that could happen. This can help to explain why anxiety may lead to a lot of really bad thoughts.
2. Find a way for the person to relax. There are a number of ways to encourage relaxation. Alex likes to listen to audiobooks.
3. Explain that you know how hard it is for the person to face their fear and so you are setting up a reward system to help them get through it. The reward must be something the person wants a lot becasue it has to mean more than the fear to them.
What is the difference between a reward and a bribe? Here
5. Slowly introduce the fear. Start with tiny steps and give the reward. Provide a reassuring presence and allow the person who has anxiety to set the pace.
5. Try to find a hobby for the person to do that will distract from the anxiety. Alex took up photography.
6. The person is better not talking about their fears but rather focusing on other interests. Help the person to think about the good things in their life rather than focusing on the negatives. Alex find it helps him a lot to be involved in autism awareness. It helps him to be distracted from his anxiety.
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