Panic Anxiety Attacks

Poll

1. Learn to breathe diaphragmatically

A) Place a hand over your upper abdomen 1. Push it OUT as you inhale 2. Let in move IN as you exhale

B) Let your chest, shoulder, neck, and back relax as you breathe
Only on a very deep breath should these parts move in the breath. This may be the most important Panic Control Technique you can learn!

2. Use any of the Stress Management tapes/CD's, especially, #205 Stress Management for Controlling Panic and Anxiety from the Stress Education Center’s Health Series, 1-3 times per day for 8-12 weeks. Or make your own tape from the exercises in this book. (You may wish to order a copy of any of the tapes available from the Stress Education Center, if so, check the order form in the back of the book or on the tape page of this website (the #205 is strongly recommended for panic/anxiety control).) If you do not have an audio tape or CD for relaxation yet, then the general indirect relaxation which is discussed in a separate article Relaxation is recommended or use any other deep relaxation from the book, Guide to Stress Reduction, or any other deeply relaxing tape/CD or exercise that you may have available.

After achieving a level of controlled deep relaxation, repeat suggestions of "control," especially control of slow, regular breathing and slow regular heart rate. Suggestions of "letting go" to help achieve hand and foot warming, along with any visualizations that can encourage this increase of peripheral blood flow, would be very useful, as well. Use StressDots or some sort of temperature training biofeedback device on your hands to learn how to warm your hands with relaxation. When you can consistently get above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (93-95 degrees is ideal) then you can begin to master warming your feet to 90 degrees. See the article on temperature training at the Stress Education Center’s website. When you can "let go" by relaxing and warming your hands and feet, you will be able to control if not prevent your panic episodes. Then you must develop the confidence in your control so the fear of panic will not control your life.

3. Regular exercise will help you to work off the effects of life's stresses
3-5 times per week of regular exercise that can elevate your heart rate for 15-45 minutes would be best. Check with your doctor before beginning an exercise program if you have been inactive for a long while. Even though elevating your heart rate can be a little scary, the release of tensions and the strengthening of your cardiovascular system will have great benefits.

4. Eat regular meals.
Low fat and complex carbohydrates are better than fast foods with lots of sugar. AVOID CAFFEINE and other stimulants. Caffeine is found in coffee, black teas, cola drinks, chocolate, some over-the-counter pain medications, and other foods/drugs. Read labels. Eating as closely as you can to natural foods (lots of: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc.) will benefit any one.

5. Practice positive self-talk.
Do not let your fears escalate into you losing control of your body and your mind. By breathing slowly and staying in your body, in present time, you avoid falling into the negative pattern of fear and panic.

6. Get support from your friends, doctor, and a therapist if necessary.
Check your area for panic/anxiety support or treatment groups! Regular use of anti-anxiety medications may be better than just taking your prescription only after the panic has begun. Reduce your medication in a supervised way after you have mastered the relaxation/biofeedback control techniques.

Remember you can get back in control of your body and your life! You must make this a priority so you can avoid being a victim to this set of scary symptoms.

Panic/anxiety is not always your enemy. This reaction is designed to protect you and may teach you something about the stresses and transitions you are going through. Denial of these challenges only creates a more stubborn set of symptoms that can be more debilitating.

Other good books that can help you:

David Barlow, Ph.D. and Jerome Cerny, Psychological Treatment of Panic, Guilford Press, New York. 1988.

Susan Lark, MD, Anxiety & Stress: A Self-Help Program, Westchester Publishing Company, Los Altos, CA. 1993.

L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the author of the best selling "Guide to Stress Reduction." Since 1977, he has offered Executive Coaching and Training.

Please visit the Stress Education Center's website at http://www.dstress.com for articles, free ezine signup, and learn about the stress and anxiety control products that are available. If you would like information or a targeted proposal for training or coaching, please contact us at (707) 795-2228.

If you are looking to promote your training or coaching career, please investigate the Professional Stress Management Training and Certification Program for a secondary source of income or as career path.

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Panic Attacks... Panic Attacks Driving One of the more common questions I am asked is how to cope with anxiety while driving. Ranging from fear of being caught in traffic to crossing waterway bridges, people have many different fears in this area. Often the anxiety stems from a fear of being trapped in the vehicle in gridlock traffic or losing control of the vehicle and causing a collision. Needless to say, even though they may have been battling with a driving phobia for many years, almost all of the people I have consulted with have not had their fears of a mishap occur. Let’s look at the primary fear, that of having an accident due to the distractions of possbile panic attacks while driving. Panic Attacks DrivingMost people will work themselves into a state of high anxiety even before they have pulled out of their driveway with imagined scenes of causing ten car collisions on the highway because they “freaked out” and collided with another vehicle. If you have such concerns, the first important thing to begin with is a review of your driving history. Have you been a reckless driver in the past? Have you a history of bad driving? Most phobic drivers in fact have clean driving records and have never even been in a minor road incident. Anxious drivers are not a deadly hazard on the road ; in fact, they can be a lot more vigilant than many ordinary drivers who after a long day in the office are virtually asleep at the wheel. Panic Attacks DrivingAs we discussed previously when looking at the biology of anxiety, by virtue of his or her condition, an anxious driver has a high level of sensory alertness. This level of alertness keeps the driver aware of any potential hazards and focused on the task of driving, not daydreaming, chatting, or rooting around in the glove compartment. This of course is not to...