According to the Mental Health Foundation, 13.2% of people have experienced a panic attack. Sometimes they can be brought on by stressful life events, but they can also occur for seemingly no reason.
Panic attacks, although not physically dangerous, can be very frightening and unpleasant. As the fight-or-flight response kicks in within our bodies, we are overwhelmed by sudden and intense fear which can last anywhere between five minutes and half an hour. With this fear also comes physiological symptoms including rapid breathing, feeling sick, feeling faint or dizzy, feeling very hot or cold, shaking, and a racing heart.
While a panic attack is not a mental health problem in itself (although if you get them on a regular basis you may have panic disorder and should consult a doctor), panic attacks and how to handle them are certainly things that it’s worth knowing about – just in case.
How to deal with an attack
Accept and Acknowledge
Remind yourself that what you are experiencing is a panic attack and isn’t dangerous. It might feel like you’re on the brink of death, but what you’re feeling are normal panic symptoms. Focus on your symptoms, describe them to yourself, and then let them go. Don’t judge yourself for having them, and don’t fight them. What you’re feeling is a nervous system response and it will pass.
Breathe
Try to consciously slow your breathing and make it deeper. Try to breathe from your diaphragm and to take longer to exhale than to inhale. Breathe in for four seconds, and then breathe out for five seconds.
Tense and Relax
Focusing on your body an area at a time – starting at your toes, moving up to your calves, then your thighs, then your bum, then your stomach, and so on all the way up to your head – tense all the muscles in progressive areas as hard as you can before letting go and allowing them to fully relax. Tense each muscle area for a few seconds and then relax them for around twenty seconds. This will get your body used to relaxing from being uptight, and will also give you something to focus on until the attack has passed.
