Controlling Panic Attacks

Controlling panic attacks, is it possible?

In my case, it was possible, but not easy, to learn to control my own responses and reactions to panic attacks.

I was able to learn to control panic attacks over time, by developing an understanding of them, how they work, what triggers them, and learning how to relax completely.

In counseling we worked on various coping strategies and methods for dealing with a panic attack as it occurred, helping me create a plan for what to do if I had a panic attack.

Knowing how I planned on responding to a panic attack if it occurred helped develop a sense of certainty, and certainly helped me with controlling panic attacks and my response to them in general.

Here's an outline of the process I went through each time I had to stop a panic attack:

1. Acknowledge/determine that I was having a panic attack
2. Think rationally about the panic attack
3. Attempt to relax, using deep diaphragmatic breathing

By acknowledging to myself that I was having a panic attack or that I was beginning to feel anxious, I was able to defuse at least a little bit of the fear. By thinking rationally, I was able to assess the situation with my intellect, and what I was going to do next, rather than having a knee-jerk response to the panic attack itself. And by focusing on relaxation, I was able to ease the physical symptoms associated with it.

4. Distraction. After realizing that I was having a panic attack, I would attempt to distract myself from it, usually through humor, talking to a friend or colleague about a light-hearted topic, completely unrelated to how I was feeling at the time.
5. Re-assess what had happened. A day or two later I would then think about what had happened, and how I responded to it. I'd then take note of what went well about how I responded to the panic attack itself, as well as how I could improve upon my response.

Taking note of what went well helped me develop courage towards future panic attacks, and that feeling of confidence began to stay with me during future panic attacks.

At first, it wasn't easy to do, to say the least.

Panic attacks can strike anywhere, anytime

I had panic attacks at work, at home, and while I was out with friends and family. There was no panic attack relief for me whatsoever.

When you're in those situations it can be incredibly difficult in terms of controlling panic attacks in general. It certainly was for me. Usually a panic attack for me led to a couple more, and just made me want to lay down and curl up in bed waiting for it to go away.

I remember once having a panic attack during a board room meeting at work. Very difficult. It happened in a room full of important people at work, I had a panic attack just when I was about to talk to the group during the meeting. It was not a good situation at all.

I was just about to get up and excuse myself from the meeting, but instead decided to participate in the meeting at the last second.

After a few minutes of speaking I started noticing that I was feeling a bit better. I started to participate more in the meeting, and it was light-hearted and fun overall. By the end of the meeting I realized that I was feeling much better.

Later when thinking about the situation, I realized that it was one of the first times I had dealt with a panic attack effectively -- I still had the panic attack, but faced it directly.

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