Millions of people, the world over, have panic attacks each day. The typical reactions are a sudden and overpowering dread that causes them to break out in a sweat, their heart to palpitate, and their breathing to hyperventilate. Attacks such as these can vary from extreme to mild. Those who have never experience such an attack can easily brush it off as a mere mind control problem. But, its affect on the body can be dramatic for those going through the experience.
Researchers have made great strides in treating anxiety. And, over the years, they and their have developed a number of methods of treating these anxieties. Regrettably, however, almost all of the treatments require potentially years to work. Fortunately, there are some things that the average person suffering from anxiety can do that can help to, at least, lessen the severity of these attacks? And, while, the tips which follow may not be a cure, they can help you to get past an episode.
The way you breathe can have a great effect on your anxiety levels. Often, you are able to prevent a panic attack merely by consciously slowing down the rate of your breathing and taking deep breaths. Shallow breaths tend to aggravate the problem. They cause more movement in the upper muscles of the chest which causes the heart to beat faster, which causes the oxygen to be used quicker, which causes you to breath even faster to get more oxygen. It is a feedback loop that simply compounds the problem.
To a large extent, we are a drug dependent country. It's hard to argue otherwise. And, for many people, the most effective short term way to get through an anxiety attack is to take a prescribed medicine.
Certain medications can be very effective in providing temporary relief from panic attacks. Serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitors (also known as SSRIs) can calm you down in a matter of minutes. Although effective, they should not be used without the knowledge of and approval from your doctor.
Lastly, sometimes it is good to simply take a walk when you begin to get that anxious feeling again. A walk can sometimes help the feelings of anxiousness go away. Walking is a form of exercise, and exercise has long been shown to be an effective prescription for calming the nerves. Therefore, if you happen to be in a situation in which you can simply excuse yourself and take a quick walk outside, you will often find yourself calmed. And, you will be able to rid yourself of much of the nervous and kinetic energy flowing through your body.
Although panic attacks affect millions of people each year, those with bipolar disorder are especially vulnerable to them. As a rule, women are also more prone to panic attacks. Also, younger people tend to be affected by it than older people.
Fortunately, as we age, we tend to be less prone to attacks of this type. Probably this is due to the body producing less mood altering hormones than in its youth. And, partially, it is simply due to us gaining more experience over the years in coming to terms with recurring potentially anxiety provoking situations.
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