An anxiety attack can be frightening. But it won’t kill you. Here are ways for you to calm an anxiety attack.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a natural response to any threat or danger.
The body’s instinctive fight-or-flight response is triggered when you feel threatened. Handling a difficult situation or facing intense pressure is also another trigger of anxiety attacks.
However, anxiety isn’t always a bad thing. In moderation, it is necessary to have during these situations to keep you alert and on your toes. The right amount of anxiety can also motivate you to solve problems or face your fears.
But when you are in a constant state of anxiety, that’s when things can get bad. When you start to experience anxiety interfering with your daily activities, ability to perform tasks and affects your relationships, then you may be crossing from normal and healthy anxiety to an unhealthy anxiety disorder.
What is an Anxiety Attack?
Have you experienced an anxiety attack? Do you know what an anxiety attack even is?
In this article, we dive into what an anxiety attack looks like and what to do when dealing with anxiety attacks. In order to know how to calm an anxiety attack, let’s first take a look at what an anxiety attack is.
When you know what to do when an attack occurs can help reduce its severity.
“Anxiety attack” and “panic attack” are terms used interchangeably. But they are two different things.
A panic attack happens when you have short bursts of fear that happen suddenly. On the other hand, an anxiety attack has similar symptoms as that of a panic attack but builds up over time. anxiety attacks are usually built up over a longer period of time due to underlying symptoms.
Now that you have a beer understanding of what it is, below are a few ways you can calm an anxiety attack.
How to Calm an Anxiety Attack
It’s important to note that not everyone who feels worried a lot has an anxiety disorder.
Feeling nervous or anxious is normal and can sometimes be good. For example, when you are about to give a presentation, or are overwhelmed with your work, or are lacking sleep and exercise, it can be easy to feel anxious.
But the dangerous part is when you consistently have a fear or a heavy feeling of anxiety.
Tips to Calm an Anxiety Attack
These tips can help to lower anxiety, manage its symptoms, and calm an anxiety attack.
Remember That It Will Pass
When you are experiencing an anxiety attack, remember that these feelings will pass. Although it definitely feels scary at the moment, remember that the feelings will only be felt briefly and will not last forever.
Try acknowledging that this is only a brief period of intense anxiety. Knowing that it will not last forever, will help put your mind at ease in the moment.
Acknowledge It and Write Down the Signs and Symptoms
Having an anxiety attack is definitely scary. It can also feel like a heart attack.
But once you know you’re having an anxiety attack, acknowledge that it is happening.
Now, try to jot down a few of the symptoms, feelings, and thoughts you are experiencing. By writing it down, you can see it from a different perspective. This makes it less overwhelming.
Practice Grounding Techniques to Calm your Anxiety Attacks
The level of anxiety attacks is felt differently by each individual.
Practice grounding yourself. Instead of focusing on the feeling of anxiety or how scary it is, look at something tangible and focus on that.
For example, you can look at a chair and focus on its color, its texture, what it looks like. You can also touch the chair and feel its details. Put all your attention on it. This anxiety attack remedy is helpful because it forces your brain to focus on something else.
Connect With Others
Sharing your experience and talking about it with trusted loved ones is a great way to overcome your anxiety.
Loneliness and isolation are some of the main triggers that cause or worsen anxiety.
This is why it’s important to keep your social and support network strong. Call a friend or a family member when you start feeling the symptoms. Ask a friend to stay over if you have been experiencing the attacks lately.
If you don’t have anyone to reach out to, you can always check out support groups online or talk to a therapist.
Take Deep Breaths
During an anxiety attack, you can experience shallow and rapid breathing. This type of breathing makes the feelings of anxiety and tension a lot worse.
So remember to take a pause and breathe deeply. Try this exercise:
Breathe in for four seconds.
Hold at the top of your breathe for four seconds.
Breathe out for four seconds.
Hold at the end of your breathe for four seconds.
Deep breathing can help bring an anxiety attack under control.
Relax Your Body to Calm an Anxiety Attack
When you are experiencing an anxiety attack, certain parts of your body tend to tense up. You might clench your jaw or your fists, your neck becomes tense, or your legs and arms begin to harden.
Make an effort to deliberately relax those tight parts of your body.
The more you focus on easing up that part of your body and accompanying it with deep breathing, the easier it gets to calm down.
To Relax and Calm an Anxiety Attack, Talk Out Loud to Yourself
Talking out loud to yourself is a great way to calm an anxiety attack.
Look yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that you are experiencing an anxiety attack but it won’t last. Tell yourself that you are not having a heart attack, rather it is just a brief moment of intense anxiety.
When you remind yourself out loud of these facts, they counter your fears and help you calm down.
Move Your Body
During an anxiety attack, try walking around, stretching, doing light exercises such as jogging in place, or aerobic stretches. This helps you focus on something else instead of the anxiety you are feeling.
Fact-Check Your Thoughts to Calm an Anxiety Attack
When you are having an anxiety attack, your brain can fixate on the worst-case scenario.
Change your inner dialogue by asking yourself if what your mind is telling you is true.
Instead of listening to your mind, that’s saying “I’m not prepared for the presentation. I’m going to fail and make a fool out of myself,” say this instead: “I am nervous but I am prepared. Some things will go well and some may not, but that is okay.”
In Conclusion
Once you find what technique and practice works best for you, your life should be a lot less daunting when experiencing an anxiety attack.