Because my panic attacks seem to be returning, I wanted to share these tips that I found at the Healthy Place in the article "Ten Things To Do For A Panic Attack."
1. Have an exit plan. This is a must for me. The better prepared I feel going into a situation, the better I tend to handle everything, even if a panic attack happens.
2. Have someone you can count on ready to call. I'm lucky that I have several someones that I can count on. It is nice knowing they are there and even better to be sure they will answer when you call.
3. Spend time with your pet. A personal favorite.
4. Have a tranquilizer with you. It is rare that I do not have several tablets of Ativan on me. I have some in my purse and I have some in a key chain holder-type thing. I also have a few stashed in a small baggie in my wallet.
5. Interact with water. I love this one. Water is very calming for me. When possible, the full-submersion method is best but taking a sip of water also works. The easiest way to interact with water is to wash your hands.
6. Give yourself a massage or have your loved one give you one. While this helps, it is a bit more difficult to accomplish without drawing further attention to yourself.
7. Forward bend. This doesn't work so well for me if I am standing. If I'm sitting, it works a little better but not worth the effort. Because I often feel hot when I'm having a panic attack, balling up only increases the heat and pushes the panic up several notches.
8. Stare at yourself in the mirror. Nope. Nada. If anything, it will escalate the attack. Tend to also work into a shame spiral and the gremlins snag the opportunity to work their mischief in my brain,
9. Go for a walk. Another one that doesn't work for me.
10. Laugh. This one does work. Besides getting in a better mood and focusing on something else, it's very difficult to panic while you are laughing. It's the small things that make a big difference.
No comments:
Post a Comment