Teach Yourself to Stop a Panic Attack

Author: Janet Houghton

When you're having an anxiety or panic attack, a cure can seem very far away, if not impossible. Perhaps you've had attacks for so long now that they've become a regular part of your life. You don't know what started them in the first place, you only know you want them to stop. The good news is that you can teach yourself to stop a panic attack. You might find yourself taking two steps forward and one step back, but if you stick to it, you will be the victor.
WHY ME?
There are different reasons as to why it is YOU who are suffering, and not your best friend or your workmate. Anxiety disorders can be genetic but it can also be stress that's triggered the beginning of this cycle for you. Without help, these attacks can exhaust you and leave you with less than the happy life you want and should be able to have.
The signs of a panic attack usually develop abruptly and reach their peak within 10 minutes. Most end within 20 to 30 minutes, and they rarely last more than an hour. Controlling anxiety or panic attacks needs to be a priority because they can turn into severe phobias that can cause you even greater distress. I personally believe the first step is to talk to your doctor; however, there are some simple self-help steps which you can learn, and if you persevere you can actually teach yourself to stop a panic attack when you recognise the initial symptoms.
DO's & DON'Ts
Don't allow your mind to think about what hasn't occurred and don't drag past attacks up. Panic attacks can happen anywhere, at any time, but letting your mind dwell on the fear of an attack can actually cause an one to happen.
More often than not, anxiety and panic attacks are brought on by feelings that are a projection of a known or unknown fear and are not a reality. For example, you may have been asked to do a presentation at work and you've never done one before. We probably all stress over this type of thing, but for someone who suffers from panic disorders this stress is enough to start a full blown attack. However, what you're dealing with are emotions of what might happen in the future and not what is happening in the present time.
Do take steps to prevent things you get stressed about; such as if you're afraid of a fire starting in your home, make sure you have a fire safety plan, have your home checked by an electrician, and keep a fire extinguisher handy.
Don't allow pride or embarrassment of what people might think of you stop you from reaching out for help. Keeping your emotions bottled up can make an attack worse. If you feel anxious and stressed because of past attacks, that anxiety and stress can trigger another attack and each subsequent attack will only reiterate those emotions. Talk to someone about it - it doesn't necessarily have to be a medical professional at this stage, but sometimes just talking about what you're going through helps relieves the feelings of anxiety.
This disorder doesn't have to control you and it doesn't have to take away your ability to live life to the full - although it can if you don't do something positive about getting help . Remember - you don't have to fight this disorder alone, there is plenty of help available and it really is possible to teach yourself to stop a panic attack.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/mental-health-articles/teach-yourself-to-stop-a-panic-attack-4521381.html
About the Author

You've taken the first step by just reading this article. I have a lot more information on my website, so take another step by clicking here, and you will find details of the highly successful techniques that have helped thousands of people who were just like yourself, and who have found the secret of controlling anxiety and stopping panic attacks.