How To Stop Panic Attacks In 3 Simple Steps
It can be extremely difficult to stop panic attacks once they’ve started, but there are 3 quick tips that I’d like to share with you that work wonders at stopping a full blown panic attack.
The first tip is called “The Paper Bag Trick.”
I recommend having paper bags with you wherever you are, and to also leave them lying around anywhere you might happen to be, such as your apartment or your place of work. When you know an attack is on the way, you’re just going to switch your breathing between the paper bag and your normal breathing – about 30 seconds of each.
The image of someone with anxiety disorder sucking in air from a paper bag has become a bit of a clich , but it’s a proven method to stop panic attacks, and that’s exactly what we want.
The second tip I’ve called “Don’t Suffer In Silence.”
So during all panic attacks from this point on, make sure to turn on the TV or radio anytime that’s possible. Or maybe even try listening to something via headphones or earphones.
When you’re having a panic attack it’s very easy to feel like you’re losing control (and losing your mind!). In a silent room this sensation is magnified many times. Sounds in the room will help to “ground” you in reality and stop that sickening feeling of losing touch with the world.
If you also experience depersonalization with your anxiety, then you’ll find that this method helps with that too.
The third tip is called “Reassure Yourself Out Loud.”
Back when my own anxiety was ruining my life, I made a big mistake, and that was trying to rerassure myself in my head whenever I had a panic attack. What I should have been doing, and what you should do, is start reassuring yourself out loud. Hearing your own voice out loud has a very different effect on you, and it can be very powerful in stopping attacks.
I noticed that the thoughts that only existed inside my head didn’t work well at all, and in some cases they actually made me feel worse.
But the thoughts that I said out loud worked wonderfully and I found that they were much more likely to fight off a panic attack.
So tell yourself, out loud and firmly, that you’re okay, you’ve experienced this before, you know what it is, and you know it will pass and leave you safe and well.
***Bonus Advanced Tip***
Following all future panic attacks, take a few moments to write down what happened during the attack: how you felt, what thoughts you had, etc. If you don’t like the idea of writing this down, why not do exactly the same thing but on a voice recorder instead?
Once you’ve written or spoke about your attacks a few times you’ll see that your anxiety has very specific patterns, and all progress the same way.
So in the future when you’re having an attack, you can have your notes or voice recording with you and see or hear where your thoughts are going before they ever happen.
The reason this works so well is because it takes the mystery and the unknowns from your attacks. One of the worst things about having a panic attack is that feeling of losing control, and not knowing what’s gonna happen next.
During future panic attacks, when you’ll have your notes or your voice recording with you, you’ll see that by getting rid of the mysteries your attacks are gone much sooner than normal.
The technique of writing or recording “panic notes” like this is one of the most effective I’ve ever encountered, and I hope you’ll try it, along with the other tips I’ve shared with you.