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What has worked for you when dealing with a panic attack?

38 Answers Moderated by , Updated: Dec 21, 2021
Profile: 7CansOfCaffeine
7CansOfCaffeine on Sep 12, 2014
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Whenever I am having a panic attack I put my hands on a flat surface (a wall, table etc) I have found that helpful and found out recently that others do too
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Profile: mdcrist92
mdcrist92 on Oct 25, 2014
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I stop what I'm doing, take a few deep breaths, and try to think of things that I can do to get back in control of the situation
Profile: Tautoli
Tautoli on Oct 27, 2014
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When I first started suffering from regular panic attacks, my boyfriend came up with a brilliant way of calming me down. A huge problem for me was that I would feel like I was losing my vision and hearing. So he'd gently sit next me and in his calmest voice, he'd ask me to look at things and describe them to him. Having to focus on something and hearing a calm and reassuring voice helped a lot, even something as simple as 'How many colours can you see on that pillow?'
Profile: AGummyBear
AGummyBear on Nov 3, 2014
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My first priority when having an attack is to get to a safe space. Safe Spaces include my bedroom, or any room that can be locked from the inside, with no other people in it. I like to find a wall to sit or lie against, so my back is shielded (a corner is even better). Nobody should talk to me, and definitely not touch me, while I'm panicking, with the exception of a very few people, and even then only if I initiate it. I have a specific song that I listen to on repeat when the attack starts to subside.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Sep 11, 2014
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It's important to sit down and try to focus on your breathing. Just inhale and exhale, inhale and exhale. Try to think about your inhaling and exhaling and forget the rest.
Profile: MilesFides
MilesFides on Sep 25, 2014
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Something that is always helping me is listening to music. Mostly to a specific song that really makes me feel better because of it's lyrics and melody. Maybe a song that reminds me of a happy memory. To me, music is the best way to calm down and fill your mind with positive thoughts and feelings.
Profile: Poppies
Poppies on Oct 25, 2014
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Concentrating on my breathing and keeping it regular and calm (as I hyperventilate). Singing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star was a life saver when I first started to learn to keep my breathing regular as due to the rhythm of the song I found it impossible to hyperventilate and sing it plus it was a distraction thinking of the lyrics
Profile: Derpderpderp
Derpderpderp on Oct 25, 2014
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Calm, and deep breaths. I like to sit back and just clear my mind, also make sure there isn't anything stressful around me.
Profile: Olivia23
Olivia23 on Oct 27, 2014
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i find that when i paint or sketch i tend to feel better, sometimes doing something that you do not do all the time but that you love doing really helps you focus enough to not realize the panic
Profile: TumblrCrazed
TumblrCrazed on Oct 28, 2014
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Diving straight into the waves. And then imagining myself just floating, and letting myself be thrashed around the waves - I'm accepting the situation as it is. And then eventually, it stops. The deeper I dive, the sooner it ends.
Profile: blackrabbit
blackrabbit on Oct 28, 2014
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I have diagnosed panic disorder. I am going through CBT and it's working. It's more of a training/therapy rather than strictly "talking" style therapy. It will help you understand what is panic attack and follow a strategic plan that works for your specific case to learn to cope and eventually get rid of it.
Profile: patzy
patzy on Nov 3, 2014
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If by dealing you mean controlling panic attacks, then slowing my breathing and relaxing my muscles usually helps me calm down.
Profile: RisingSun
RisingSun on Nov 11, 2014
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Trying to occupy my mind with something unrelated to what is getting me nervous. If I have no clue why I'm in such a state holding onto someone I love helps.
Profile: Mel
Mel on Nov 15, 2014
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I don't have panic attacks anymore thankfully, I had them when I was younger but I had a little couple of steps to take when I had them. First, relax by taking slow, deep, complete breaths. Calm yourself by remembering that you are only having a panic attack and that nothing more serious is happening to you. Stop negative thinking, shout 'Stop!' to yourself if it's necessary. Then replace the negative thought with a positive one. Finally, accepting your feelings is very important. Don't deny them, try to see them and understand why you're feeling this way. You can become the person that you choose to be.
Profile: friendlyKiwi99
friendlyKiwi99 on Feb 9, 2016
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Im not quite certain if i have had any But i know for a fact that im dealing with strong anxity. I have found that joga is a great method dealing with anxity. Staying present and in your body, not in your mind, can really work wonders!
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Mar 7, 2016
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Meditation - it also helps prevent them by calming your everyday stream of thoughts. When I am at school I just walk out the class and go outside for a run or just some fresh air. Focusing on breathing + taking deep breaths. Shutting my brain off. The fears only exist in your head.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on May 3, 2016
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Stop what I'm doing. Calmly collecting myself and breathe in through my nose and exhale out my mouth.
Profile: WhisperingShadow
WhisperingShadow on Aug 23, 2016
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I found read something which suggested saying the alphabet, out loud backwards works. It really helped me. It helps because you have to concentrate on what the next letter is going to be and saying it out loud means that your breathing is focused on saying the letters.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Aug 30, 2016
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For me, I go to my room and play my favourite song through my headphones on replay and repeat the same breathing techniques until I'm calm. Everyone has their own way is dealing with them, and this is what works best for me.
Profile: SereneMist81
SereneMist81 on Sep 20, 2016
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When experiencing a panic attack, I've found it very helpful to have a plan in place to deal with it. I use a grounding exercise that involves going to a quiet place with open sky if possible (removing myself from potential triggers and assisting in feelings of safety and ability to engage in flight behaviour, but making it my choice not to), sitting down and rooting my energy through my tailbone into the earth's core (visualization of stability and oneness), and focusing on breathing rhythmically into a meditative pattern (diversion of attention and focus to a different physical sensation that will incidentally prevent hyperventilation). I engage in that for about ten to fifteen minutes, the chest pain usually eases around five minutes into the practice, and the rest is just to allow time for my parasympathetic nervous system to calm things down on all levels. After that, I reassure myself things are okay, I am safe and alive and healthy and whole (affirmation of overall wellbeing) and if possible, try to return to what I was doing before to teach my brain that the stimulus wasn't a threat (reframing the experience to one of non-panic).
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