Tips for overcoming a panic attack: what to do, in 5 key points

How to overcome a panic attack and control the intensity of the symptoms?

A panic attack can become a psychological disturbance that seriously compromises the quality of life of those who suffer from it.

In this article we will see what this phenomenon consists of, and we will expose several tips to overcome a panic attack taking into account all the scientific knowledge that has been generated about it.

What is a panic attack?

The attack of panic, also known as crisis of anguish, is the sudden appearance of a psychological state characterized by hyperarousal and the sensation of fear and general discomfort.. The person who experiences it experiences a relatively short period of time, lasting a few minutes, and usually reaches its peak intensity about 10 minutes after the onset.

It is an alteration that causes psychological and physiological symptoms, i.e., it produces changes in the way the person feels.It causes changes in thinking and feeling, but also in more basic biological processes, such as Blood pressure.

In fact, during panic attacks the heart rate is greatly increased, and usually tremors and cold sweats appear, while catastrophic thoughts arise (i.e., it is assumed that the worst will happen or even that our life is in danger) and we enter into a state of hypervigilance and extreme sensitivity to stimuli, as well as difficulty in breathing well.

Of course, these symptoms do not correspond to what is objectively occurring, and in fact panic attacks can occur in virtually any context: in the supermarket shopping queue, sunbathing, etc.

There is no apparent reason that alone justifies the triggering of such intense discomfort.. What can happen is that we have been suffering the cumulative effect of several worries that keep us anxious for a period of time, and that a certain harmless or unproblematic event facilitates the expression of the panic attack with all its typical symptoms.

All these symptoms tell us about the nature of the panic attack, which is part of a group of psychological disorders known as anxiety disorders, in which we also find, for example, phobias.

How to overcome a panic attack?

Here are some useful tips on how to overcome a panic attack.

1. Go to a psychologist

The first advice has to do with prevention and psychological intervention.. This first step makes it easier for us to cope with panic attacks and, at the same time, to contribute to their less frequent occurrence and even to their disappearance.

In addition, in the psychologist's office you will also be able to solve your doubts about what is happening to you and you will receive training to know exactly what to do in each case. The tips for managing a panic attack that you will see below should be seen as a parallel help to this psychological intervention.

2. Learn to recognize the symptoms

The moment you see that the anxiety attack is manifesting itself through its symptoms, focus on the task of writing down how you feel, emotionally, cognitively and physiologically.. Write down the order in which these changes are occurring, the content of your thoughts, the way you experience your emotions, etc.

When the distress crisis is over, try to continue completing this mini-report as soon as possible, without letting relevant information slip your mind.

These self-records can help you to recognize right away when a panic attack is about to occur, so that in the future you will be able to count on it.They will also be very useful for the psychologists who follow up on what is happening to you.

3. Look for a place where there is calm

When you notice that an anxiety attack begins to occur, look for a relatively calm place in which you can be. It is important to emphasize the "relatively": do not become obsessed with finding the quietest and loneliest area in the neighborhood, because the feeling of urgency will feed the anxiety disorder even more.

If you are with other people, don't try to keep that area away from them if it will make you run or search frantically. There is nothing wrong with being vulnerable in a moment of panic attack, a phenomenon that on the other hand is very common and has happened to many people at some point in their lives, so it is even possible that they understand you perfectly.

4. Do not pretend that the problem is not there

Trying to act as if we were not going to go through an anxiety attack is not the solution, and in fact it will only make us feel more vulnerable to the symptoms of this disorder. It is necessary to assume that certain measures must be taken to manage this discomfort, interrupting everything we were doing before the first symptoms appeared. before the first symptoms appeared.

So, once you are in the quiet zone, forget about your responsibilities or social interactions during this brief period of minutes, and if you feel you prefer to be alone, tell whoever you are with without worrying about what they might think; they will understand.

5. Focus your attention on your breathing

Panic attacks cause your focus of attention to act erratically, overreacting to your breathing.You will overreact to any stimulus, memory or mental image that has a certain component capable of generating anxiety. For example, a car alarm suddenly going off in the distance, a painful memory from childhood, etc.

Something that can help you not to feed these sources of fear is to concentrate on something very concrete and simple: your breathing. To do this, there is nothing better than learning controlled breathing techniques, something that you will probably practice in psychotherapy sessions and that is also included in some relaxation exercises.

When you concentrate on breathing properly, you not only contribute to oxygenating your body; you also cushion the blow of the panic attack.