Panic Attacks Treatment - 5 Simple and Effective Methods

Panic attacks are about as much fun as a heart attack. They seem to serve no useful purpose, but they do interupt life's activities and have various negative effects. Building an arsenal of means to fight back against the panic attacks can help control them. Here are five simple and effective methods.

I. Breathing

The problem with breathing typically during a panic attack or state of heightened anxiety is that we overbreathe as if we were already engaged in an energy-demanding fight or flight reaction. Breathing more than is needed for the body's given energy requirements exacerbates some anxiety and panic symptoms.

One must therefore train oneself s to breath more slowly, preferably deeply and through the nose. Training between panic attacks helps us breathe slowly during attacks. An ideal fugure to shot for is an inhale-exhale cycle lasting about six seconds. An intermediate goal might be four or five seconds per cycle, of course providing one also breathes deeply from the whole lung instead of an shallow fashion largely from the top of the lung as most of us with a sedentary lifestyle practice.

II. Accepting

Often just knowing our panic attacks are not imminently fatal gives a degree of relief. Accepting and even welcoming the symptoms of panic attack can be more so. If one can accept them and even challenge them to get worse, one begins to feel control over the symptoms. On the flip side, doing all we can to reduce or avoid the symptoms makes us feel anxious that the panic attack is in control. Granted, this is not an easy task. "Overwhelming" is characteristic of panic. But accepting the symptoms need not be tackled alone, and need not be tackled all at once. Here is where a good counselor can help.

III. Gratitude

One may consider distractions as an effective method of treating panic attacks. Indeed, they can be, especially immediately preceding a panic attack. But they can also postpone pentup emotional outbursts like panic attacks, so their long term effectiveness may be in doubt unless other means can be used to cure panic in the interim.

Gratitude may be a form of distraction, but if so, it also serves as a contrary emotion, a positive emotion if you will that counteracts the negative one of fear.

Thankfulness can be used to greatest effect when it is exercised regularly over a period of time. The important thing is to feel genuinely grateful. That can have more of an effect calming the mind than one might think. It may be one reason that relevant religious practices are known for keeping people calm in difficult circumstances.

IV. Moving about

Regular physical exercise has various positive benefits that may serve to strengthen one against the trials of panic attacks. More directly, exercise reduces stress hormone levels in the body and releases other hormones which have a calming influence on the brain.

What one can accomplish during a panic attack may vary depending on general health and physical surrroundings, but where moving about can reasonably be accomplished, it can constructively use up some of the energies produced by fear (or stress hormones). More effective during a panic attack is when that exercise can be channeled in an enjoyable, especially in an exciting way. Of course those with asthma, diabetes, heart disease, or a variety of physical difficulties must be more cautious and limited here. Consult with a physician first.

V. Affirming

Our minds can dwell interminably on uncertainty and "what if" scenarios. We can and do adopt certain beliefs about the way things are that aren't necessarily so. Those beliefs may take the form of false assumptions. Rooting out those false and fear-inducing assumptions and replacing them with positive affirmations can be an effective means of controlling panic attacks. The positive affirmations can be rehearsed in a panic.

And other methods exist. For any given individual, effectiveness of methods depends in part on individual causes of the panic. Panic attacks may be attended with other problems such as exposure to environmental toxins, various diseases, relationship problems, stessful employment, emotional trauma, drug or alcohol abuse, and so on. Often the causes are removed from the panic experience and therefore mysterious to the panic attack sufferer. Panic attacks often seem to strike out of nowhere. And often attendant problems must be addressed separately. But the above five methods are very commonly effective.


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The author is a long time health enthusiast interested in helping people overcome anxiety and panic attacks.