Managing Panic Attacks: Tips and Techniques for Immediate Relief

Panic attacks happen when a person feels immensely scared and stressed due to something that leaves a huge impact on their mental health as well as physical health. It depends on the person how they handle the situation when they get a panic attack as different people have different coping mechanisms. The rate at which this event will occur also depends on the person’s mental state as some people might experience panic attacks only once or twice in their lifetime, whereas some can have it recurrently.

Certain quick and effective solutions can calm down the situation and help the person emerge from it. Some useful tricks include letting them take deep breaths, massaging their back for relief, etc. In this blog, we will explore the tips and techniques for immediate relief in managing panic attacks.

Signs that you are having a panic attack

Before we discuss the tips and techniques for managing panic attacks let’s learn about early signs of a panic attack. The below listed are the symptoms of panic attacks which are not common to have-

• Having hot flashes which results in sudden high body temperatures.
• Experiencing slight fatigue and feeling dizzy in the head.
• Extreme shivering and trembling
• Feeling numb not knowing what to do and having a tingling sensation.
• Getting occasional abdominal cramps throughout the event.
• Catching short of breath and feeling choked, difficulty in breathing.
• Unreal imaginations and a feeling of detachment.
• Fast, pounding heart rates.
• Loss of control over oneself, suicidal tendencies, death.
• Feeling nauseated and an urge to vomit
• Having chills due to extreme fear.

If you are experiencing a few of the above signs, then don't take it lightly and visit a doctor immediately. If we leave these unattended, it can lead to chronic or frequent events of panic attacks in your daily life.

Causes of panic Attacks

There are several factors responsible for cause panic attacks. Below we will discuss some common causes in detail-

Some of the common factors are-

• Family tree- If this exists in someone’s genetic records or anyone from their bloodline the person is likely to have similar effects.
• Major stress- Handling work-life balance these days is becoming a challenge, hence stress is a common issue nowadays surrounding relationships, work, finance, family, etc.
• Hormonal or medicinal effects- Sometimes it happens due to the effects of complicated medicines that they take for another disease that may result in side effects. Hormonal imbalances can also be a major cause, especially among girls since they go through a major ovulation period and have secretions of progesterone and Estrogen.
• Temperament- It is also true that some people have anger issues and they react more quickly than others and also in a way more aggressive way resulting in anxiety, and panic attacks.

Although these are the most common causes behind panic attacks there are other minor causes too.

Tips and techniques to handle panic attacks without medication for immediate relief

Medical science is always there for emergency support but there are certain nonmedical tips and tricks too for tackling panic attacks and bring easy healing in times of emergency. Below, we will discuss these tips and techniques in detail-

Breathing exercises

Breathing practices have existed since ancient times, and to this day, it is one of the most primary, basic, yet powerful techniques for recovering from many situations.

One needs to take a deep breath through one's nose and let one's chest and belly fill with air by feeling the air slowly. After that, slowly exhale the air through your mouth. To do this you need to open your mouth and nose widely and feel the air slowly passing out from your body. Count your fingers and hold your breath for 1 second before passing it out.

Close your eyes

Sometimes people get panic attacks because they are unable to keep up with the fast-paced world around them and it results in insecurities and FOMO (Fear of missing out).

Everything feels too overwhelming in those moments and the only way to slow down the fast-paced world is to close the eyes for some time and forget all these stuffs which in turn will help the mind to relax. It reduces the stimuli as well and helps to concentrate on the breathing.

Muscle Relaxation techniques

There are certain widely known muscle relaxation techniques like the PMR ( Progressive Muscle Relaxation). It can be executed anytime anywhere and for the best effective results, you should continue practicing it on a regular basis if possible. PMR helps to release the tensed muscles and relaxes one by one. It works on one muscle at a time hence it is easier to identify the tension in the muscles.

Visualization

It is a very powerful way to picture something far from reality just to forget all the worldly tensions for the moment and live in the moment.

No matter how much you love city life and world-class infrastructures, the hustles and bustles of metropolitans, doctors suggests that during guided imagery techniques, one must picture a calm relaxing place devoid of noises and close to nature. It can be a quiet sunset hue and a serene beach or waterfall.

Lavender Technique

We well know that fragrance and aroma play a major role in mood uplifting relaxing the nerves. The essence of lavender induces calming effects just by inhaling the aroma applying on the forehead or nose bridge.

5-4-3-2-1 method

Another useful technique is the 5-4-3-2-1 The first step involves looking at five separate objects, and secondly listening to four unique distinct sounds, completely different from each other. Thirdly touch three objects one by one and feel the materials that they are consisting, the weight, temperature, texture, etc. The next step involves identifying two different smells and lastly naming any one thing that you can taste. Hence, all visual, auditory, olfactory, and gustatory factors come into play hitting our five sense. It is a very powerful technique to help you from Panic attacks.

Tips and techniques to manage panic attacks for immediate relief using medications and treatments

Remember, non-medical techniques might not help in serious cases. We always recommend seeking advice from doctors and opting for therapies and medicines in severe cases.

Medications

Benzodiazepines are the customary ways of treating panic attacks. You can only buy it from a medical store upon showing a prescription as you cannot use it without recommendations since it contains a high dosage. Benzodiazepines are also popularly known as Alprazolam (Xalax).

Other common medications used to treat panic attacks are Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors(SNRIs).

Seek Counselling support

The new age therapy sessions are going quite familiar as it is breaking the stereotypes and societal stigmas of not being able to be vocal about one's problems and issues in life.

Therapy sessions can be a wonderful way to reconnect with people speak your heart out and seek suggestions to solve your problems. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is one such popular type of counselling that is very effective in dealing with panic attacks.

Conclusion

It does not go unsaid that with the evolution of human life and our surroundings, we are now living in a fast-paced world which is indeed a blessing but at the same time it also bring curse or complications like insomnia, depression, and panic attacks. Panic attacks are prolonged periods of severe fear triggering physical reactions like sweating, hot flashes, headaches, etc., we can successfully overcome this condition, if we become aware of the management techniques and do diagnosis at the right time.