Preventing Panic Attacks

Can a panic attack be prevented?

What can be done in terms of preventing panic attacks?

Here we're going to take a look at a few different aspects of what can be done to reduce the frequency and intensity of panic attacks.

Hopefully we can overcome them completely.

There are several factors that can influence panic attacks, and there are some that we are in total control of. They include: our lifestyle choices, the thoughts we think, and how we cope with stress.

There are also some immediate steps that can be taken that can have a positive impact and go a long way in terms of preventing panic attacks. Diet (both food and drinks), exercise (including relaxation techniques), and our thinking will be our primary focus here.

Imagine for a moment, that you thought only positive thoughts, had positive expectation and beliefs, and that you trained yourself to relax at a moments notice.

If that were the case would you even experience a panic attack? If you did, would you be able to overcome it quickly? It would seem so. At least it was that way in my situation. The thing is, no one thinks only positive thoughts. But we can control what we focus our attention on.

The best method for preventing panic attacks is making healthy lifestyle choices. What are some healthy lifestyle choices that can be made to ensure that we're on the path to becoming panic-free (or at least improving the current situation)?

  • Get 8 hours of sleep a night
  • Avoid or abstain from caffeine
  • Minimize or abstain from alcohol consumption
  • Manage stress appropriately
  • Do not avoid things you fear will cause a panic attack.
  • Get the amount of exercise your doctor recommends for you
  • Practice relaxation techniques on a daily basis

    Those factors certainly influenced me the most. Sleep is a critical component of good health, and it's no different in terms of anxiety. Studies have found that the effects of anxiety are increased where there is a lack of sleep.

    Caffeinated coffee was definitely a big issue in my life even though I didn't know it. When I was having panic attacks on a regular basis I was drinking 3-4 cups of regular coffee a day.

    Once I had reduced my caffeine consumption (due to the recommendation of a counsellor) I noticed an immediate difference in the number of attacks I was having. They had reduced in frequency from once a day to approximately once a week.

    However, caffeine doesn't even come close to alcohol, at least in my experience. If you're a person who's had panic attacks and you go out binge drinking, the day after your night of fun might be something to contend with. That was certainly the case in my experience.

    The worst panic and anxiety that I had ever experienced was after a night of having a few drinks with friends.

    Usually the equation seemed to be: amount of alcohol = amount of anxiety the next day. Talk to your doctor about alcohol and anxiety and see what he/she thinks for your situation.

    I now drink decaf coffee only, try to watch how much sugar I have in my diet, and generally do my best to have a reasonably balanced diet. Nothing special, just no caffeine for the most part. The only exception is a cup of green tea every once in a while.

    I'll still enjoy a glass of wine each night with dinner, or a couple of drinks on the weekend, but that only started after I had been panic free for over a year.

    There was a time that I had thought that I would be on anti-anxiety medication for the rest of my life and that I would likely utilize tranquilizers for the rest of my life as well during acute panic attacks.

    It's a wonderful feeling to be pleasantly surprised and discover that you can in fact live a life even better than the one that you had prior to panic attacks.

    This means being able to have the family you want, the career you want, and basically enjoy whatever activities you choose.

    Now to mention the best method that I've personally used for preventing my own panic attacks.

    It is welcoming a panic attack or even the idea of future panic attacks completely.

    There is another simple formula that I had discovered: fear of a situation will make the situation worse. In this case, fearing or avoiding certain places or situations is sure to make the panic attacks worse.

    Accepting them does the opposite -- it seems to make them much more manageable. It's kind of like a person who can't swim and is afraid of jumping in the pool. If you teach that same person to swim, they'll be swimming lengths and enjoying it before you know it!

    When I first started overcoming panic attacks I started to tell myself things like "It's alright if I have a panic attack. I've had them before and I'm always ok. My doctor tells me that they are unpleasant but are completely safe. Therefore it's ok to experience a panic attack."

    Another thing that I found really worked well was to make use of affirmations. Telling myself like "I am perfectly healthy", or "I am poised, relaxed and confident" really helped a lot. That's what worked for me. What worked for me may or may not work for you, so you'll definitely want to work with your doctor and counsellor/therapist and find what works best for you. I continue to make use of all of these tools each and every day.
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