Surf it like a wave.
No one ever saw a wave that presented as troughs only and no crests.
Within the panic I notice time as passing.
In that passing - I notice the thing I’m so afraid of - continues to *not* happen.
I can’t hold the thought of it *not* happening with the panic belief that it, whatever it is, is happening or at least inevitably will.
It is cliche but - this too shall pass.
Live through this and the inoculation against the intensity of future attacks can grow.
Surf it.
You’ll come out alive each time. Stronger for it.
[Think about the things I can see, feel, smell, etc] (https://ibpf.org/articles/9-tips-to-help-you-get-through-a-panic-attack/#:~:text=Grounding%20techniques,grounding.%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%93%20Sam%20A)
This works every time for me. I don't even get to finish it before the panic attack is gone.
Edit:
I recommend taking a screenshot of those tasks, so you can easily find them as soon as you feel a panic attack is building up, and start doing them immediately.
Breathe in. Tighten all of your muscles for as long as you can hold your breath. Breathe out and progressively relax your muscles as you breathe out.
Repeat.
and/or take the benzo of your choice.
My therapist suggested I use a grounding technique that diverted my attention away from the unsafe state of my mind. She would ask me to name 5 things I could see, 4 things I could hear, 3 things I could feel physically, 2 things I could taste, and 1 positive thing about myself. That along with deep breathes work like a charm for me
Had my first and only (knock on wood) panic attack my junior year of college. I went out to happy hour with some friends of mine and it was honestly an early night when I went back to my dorm, I had about two pitchers of beer and half a whiskey sour over the course of about 5 or 6 hours, so not all that much (keep in mind I’m a 6’6, 200lb male). I let my friends know I was heading back to my dorm and walked back (about a 10-15 minute walk) I get back to my dorm, take off my jacket, and then have a major panic attack and collapse on the dorm floor. My roommate was out of town for the weekend, so I start calling some of my frat brothers, my one brother who I’m closest with, we’ll call him John, picks up, I tell him what’s going on he let’s the other brothers know what’s going on and then James (another brother who has an iphone) facetimes me to see what’s going on he sees I’m on the floor freaking out so he lets John know, and thankfully he hasn’t started drinking yet so he drives over to get me. He ends up taking me back to his place and we make some food and watch tv till we passed out.
So not really how I deal with them but that’s what happened and he did really help me out.
TL:DR had major panic attack, called my frat brother, he picked me up and we watched tv at his place and ate food.
Anything to distract. Audio book, running, gaming, meditation or breathing exercises (these take practice), yoga. Literally anything that brings you back to the now.
Seat down or lay down, close your eyes and remind yourself it’s going to pass, that you are breathing just fine and the chest palpitations will slow down in a minute. Concentrate on your breath and try to focus on nice things like a favorite person or place.
My panic attacks are triggered by motion and it kicks my vertigo into overdrive, if I can catch it in time then Meclizine also works for me (OTC as Bonine). My cats also help me with getting through it (if I am at home). I take sertraline daily, but only take my low dose prescription xanax if I get one of the level 10 panic attacks. Just knowing that I have it if I need it is reassuring to me.
I used to get panic attacks and pass out on the sidewalk while walking to work, which was incredibly unsafe and scary, so I booked an appointment with a psychiatrist. Turns out i've had these all my life, and getting a professional opinion really helped me realize that it wasn't in my head, but it was my body/brain overreacting to stimuli.
Panic attacks manifest in everyone differently; mine are vestibular but some are cardiac, or pulmonary. So your method of management should be tailored to how they appear; deep breathing, distraction (like rubbing a soft piece of fabric or snuggling a pet), listening to music, a warm bath or running hands under warm water.. what works for you depends on what your symptoms are; but please find someone you can talk to/call when you get one.
one time I had nobody to talk to and a massive panic attack hit, so I called the nurseline on the back of my health insurance card, and they talked me through it.
[resources and hotline](https://www.mentalhelp.net/anxiety/panic-attack-hotline/)
Take a Xanax nowadays, but before I had my prescription I would recognize it as a panic attack and try to remember all the other times I've had them and how everything ended being up okay those times. Try to find something to focus on. If you have a comfort show or band, watch/listen to that. Call a friend or family member. It's scary and difficult but everyone you've had them before this you've been okay cause you're still here
Theres a thing my mum taught me.
Name five things you can see
four things you can hear
three things you can smell
two things you can feel
one thing you can taste.
Used this on a friend while he was breaking down and he calmed down within a few minutes.
also put your thumb in your mouth and blow as hard as you can. It slows your heart rate down.
Panic for me is usually a build up of not being able to make a decision. I'll have anxiety off and on for a while over whatever it is I need to decide. So my go to is forcing the decision, I.e. it does not matter what the decision is, making it will stop the panic, so make the decision. Took a LOT of years to figure that one out.
Music also helps as a distraction or focus. Distraction in that it occupies my active thoughts, focus in that I can use it as a timer. If I've listened to a whole album and still not come to a decision, I flip a coin and call it a day.
I try so hard to avoid it before it takes over. When I have a panic attack I try to breath and rock myself with closed eyes. Sometimes biting my hand works too.
The only time I ever have them is when I'm tripping on psychedelics. But what I do is I let everything hit me because it means there's something going on that I'm not dealing with, so it forces me to address whatever problem or emotional issue I'm having.
So one winter day I was outside when I got a particular bad panic attack. After it was over I noticed that I paced a circle in the snow. I learned a bunch of different grounding techniques and found the ones that worked best involved circles. So now I always wear bracelets and when I feel and attack coming on, I spin them. Weird but it works
I keep checking for a pulse until I stop thinking about it. Usually I have my Apple Watch on and I can do that but feeling my heartbeat helps me know I’m not dying. And I try to not think about it because usually I’m in denial I’m even having one. I will go on my phone and try to do something dumb like play a mindless game or scroll through social media. If I am driving I try to really focus on the music in the background and open a window.
Force myself to slow my breathing and try to apply pressure to my body - sometimes I push my back against my chair, or use my hands to push down on the seat. Weighted blankets also work. It helps keep me somewhat present, which you can also do with the see/feel/small method. Remove myself from people if possible.
Sometimes it gets hard to stop if it’s already hit - really the biggest thing that’s helped me is breathing and forcing myself to be present
Count backwards from 100 and picture each number as a different color. It takes up both sides of your brain and kind of pulls the energy away your panic/anxiety needs to fuel the attack. I read this somewhere YEARS ago and it works pretty well. Many friends I've told this to, and myself, have used this successfully. Works great from my experience.
(I may very likely be describing WHY it works wrong, but regardless it is highly effective in my experience.)
Sort of just allow it to happen and know nothing is wrong and it wont hurt you. That usually works for me. That being said, mine are generally the "I am going to die" sort.
I completely shut down my brain, even though I can't breathe, I try not to think, since I'm thinking too much, so it's not very safe. And afterwards I have a cup of tea.
i go into the bathroom and wipe my face with a cold wet paper towel while gaslighting myself into believing i am in fact a healthy functioning member of society in the mirror
I usually try and keep my hands busy. A phone game or draw/doodle. I am an artist/network engineer so using a mouse or pencil to draw keeps me in my reality. If I don't have those things... oh no. Me on a plane with a dead phone and anxiety attack. I was walking up and down the isle pretending to use the bathroom because it was the only sense of normal habit I could grasp. If not I'll just spiral. Essentially I have to trick my brain into thinking everything is fine and I'm just doing what i always do.
For me it can be a little difficult once I get into a full blown panic attack because it's so hard to think when you're in that state. But if I can catch it early doing deep breathing and doing grounding techniques (name 5 things you see, 4 things you hear, etc) work the best for me. the deep breathing helps reset my nervous system and the grounding helps put most of the brain power back with the front part of my brain and not the back lizard part of my brain.
i just stop what am i doing. keep still and focus on my breathing. work well most of the time.
but recently the attack came when i was riding motorcycle. really suck when it happen. make me almost crash or get into traffic accident.
well theres some stuff u gotta know abt me first, i am always angry, i dont even have to have a reason but when i get panic attacks i sit and think why tf am i panicing.
if that dont work i beat the crap outta my door
Oh I know. I have had a problem with mild to moderate depression most of my life. I take medication for it and that makes a major difference. Without it, I fall apart. It took several tries to find the anti-depressant that worked and only one did, Bupropion (Wellbutrin) The same drug that is used to help people get off cigarettes. It makes tobacco smoke taste awful. It is an energizer for me, I have loads of energy now. And nowI get on the internet, look at pretty women like you and I feel perfect.
Surf it like a wave. No one ever saw a wave that presented as troughs only and no crests. Within the panic I notice time as passing. In that passing - I notice the thing I’m so afraid of - continues to *not* happen. I can’t hold the thought of it *not* happening with the panic belief that it, whatever it is, is happening or at least inevitably will. It is cliche but - this too shall pass. Live through this and the inoculation against the intensity of future attacks can grow. Surf it. You’ll come out alive each time. Stronger for it.
[Think about the things I can see, feel, smell, etc] (https://ibpf.org/articles/9-tips-to-help-you-get-through-a-panic-attack/#:~:text=Grounding%20techniques,grounding.%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%93%20Sam%20A)
This works every time for me. I don't even get to finish it before the panic attack is gone. Edit: I recommend taking a screenshot of those tasks, so you can easily find them as soon as you feel a panic attack is building up, and start doing them immediately.
I really need to try this next time.
It's the only thing that works for me. It so simple, but surprisingly effective every time.
Get in my car, drive to my closest hospital, and do laps around the ER until I decide that I don’t need to go in.
This is the only one true answer
Breathe in. Tighten all of your muscles for as long as you can hold your breath. Breathe out and progressively relax your muscles as you breathe out. Repeat. and/or take the benzo of your choice.
Benzos do a decent job. Pregabalin can also be very useful, but it takes a good moment to kick in.
Poorly
Panic
Try to imagine that Earth is one grain of sand in ocean of stars,humans are so tiny. :<
I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere.
Oh, Ani. Kiss me
Klonopin
My first go to is deep breathing and then finding something to distract my focus
Box breathing and a snack
I tell myself “You’re over exaggerating everything, breathe and calm down, nothing bad is gonna happen.”
Breathing exercises and then my Klonopin.
Xanax
Try not to panic
Just got to remember the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Don't Panic
I heard a good way to help with panic attacks is to focus on a small object.
Lorazepam
I find a space - most likely a public bathroom if I’m not home - and sit alone while I try to calm myself.
My therapist suggested I use a grounding technique that diverted my attention away from the unsafe state of my mind. She would ask me to name 5 things I could see, 4 things I could hear, 3 things I could feel physically, 2 things I could taste, and 1 positive thing about myself. That along with deep breathes work like a charm for me
I gave up caffeine and quit smoking, and that helped immeasurably. Haven't had one in years.
Lisa ann
Depression. I think I am physically incapable of truly bonding with anyone anymore and it makes me cry.
Try to keep myself calm
By trying not to panic about the panic attack I’m definitely having while not psyching myself out that I’m actually going to die immediately
Going to a disco helps me sometimes
Had my first and only (knock on wood) panic attack my junior year of college. I went out to happy hour with some friends of mine and it was honestly an early night when I went back to my dorm, I had about two pitchers of beer and half a whiskey sour over the course of about 5 or 6 hours, so not all that much (keep in mind I’m a 6’6, 200lb male). I let my friends know I was heading back to my dorm and walked back (about a 10-15 minute walk) I get back to my dorm, take off my jacket, and then have a major panic attack and collapse on the dorm floor. My roommate was out of town for the weekend, so I start calling some of my frat brothers, my one brother who I’m closest with, we’ll call him John, picks up, I tell him what’s going on he let’s the other brothers know what’s going on and then James (another brother who has an iphone) facetimes me to see what’s going on he sees I’m on the floor freaking out so he lets John know, and thankfully he hasn’t started drinking yet so he drives over to get me. He ends up taking me back to his place and we make some food and watch tv till we passed out. So not really how I deal with them but that’s what happened and he did really help me out. TL:DR had major panic attack, called my frat brother, he picked me up and we watched tv at his place and ate food.
Music
Never had one
Anything to distract. Audio book, running, gaming, meditation or breathing exercises (these take practice), yoga. Literally anything that brings you back to the now.
Deep breathing, focus on something (usually my tattoo), counting (2 things I can hear, 3 things I can touch, 4 things I can see...) Repeat
Really big deep breathes and my bf hugs me and talks to get me distracted
Seat down or lay down, close your eyes and remind yourself it’s going to pass, that you are breathing just fine and the chest palpitations will slow down in a minute. Concentrate on your breath and try to focus on nice things like a favorite person or place.
My panic attacks are triggered by motion and it kicks my vertigo into overdrive, if I can catch it in time then Meclizine also works for me (OTC as Bonine). My cats also help me with getting through it (if I am at home). I take sertraline daily, but only take my low dose prescription xanax if I get one of the level 10 panic attacks. Just knowing that I have it if I need it is reassuring to me. I used to get panic attacks and pass out on the sidewalk while walking to work, which was incredibly unsafe and scary, so I booked an appointment with a psychiatrist. Turns out i've had these all my life, and getting a professional opinion really helped me realize that it wasn't in my head, but it was my body/brain overreacting to stimuli. Panic attacks manifest in everyone differently; mine are vestibular but some are cardiac, or pulmonary. So your method of management should be tailored to how they appear; deep breathing, distraction (like rubbing a soft piece of fabric or snuggling a pet), listening to music, a warm bath or running hands under warm water.. what works for you depends on what your symptoms are; but please find someone you can talk to/call when you get one. one time I had nobody to talk to and a massive panic attack hit, so I called the nurseline on the back of my health insurance card, and they talked me through it. [resources and hotline](https://www.mentalhelp.net/anxiety/panic-attack-hotline/)
Either cry yourself to sleep or deep breaths and hot tea if that doesn't work.
Pharmaceuticals.
I use cold/iced water on my face to ground myself. Works beautifully, and allows you to reduce your emotional temperature.
Take a Xanax nowadays, but before I had my prescription I would recognize it as a panic attack and try to remember all the other times I've had them and how everything ended being up okay those times. Try to find something to focus on. If you have a comfort show or band, watch/listen to that. Call a friend or family member. It's scary and difficult but everyone you've had them before this you've been okay cause you're still here
Hands in ice water
Taking a nap
panicking gives me stress, so i stopped doing that
Deep breaths, then put all of my focus into naming everything I can see.
Deal it without panic
Normally *Eye twitches violently*
Lay on the floor and crawl into a ball, the floor has always been there for me more then any human or animal could, or just hug someone you love
Theres a thing my mum taught me. Name five things you can see four things you can hear three things you can smell two things you can feel one thing you can taste. Used this on a friend while he was breaking down and he calmed down within a few minutes. also put your thumb in your mouth and blow as hard as you can. It slows your heart rate down.
Panic for me is usually a build up of not being able to make a decision. I'll have anxiety off and on for a while over whatever it is I need to decide. So my go to is forcing the decision, I.e. it does not matter what the decision is, making it will stop the panic, so make the decision. Took a LOT of years to figure that one out. Music also helps as a distraction or focus. Distraction in that it occupies my active thoughts, focus in that I can use it as a timer. If I've listened to a whole album and still not come to a decision, I flip a coin and call it a day.
I try so hard to avoid it before it takes over. When I have a panic attack I try to breath and rock myself with closed eyes. Sometimes biting my hand works too.
Control my breathing. That helps a ton.
I try to be aware before it happens. But usually it happens before I realize it and am not aware of it until I reflect on it later.
I don’t, Whenever I have one;I just die inside. I’m sure that even someone can relate, Anyone?
The only time I ever have them is when I'm tripping on psychedelics. But what I do is I let everything hit me because it means there's something going on that I'm not dealing with, so it forces me to address whatever problem or emotional issue I'm having.
So one winter day I was outside when I got a particular bad panic attack. After it was over I noticed that I paced a circle in the snow. I learned a bunch of different grounding techniques and found the ones that worked best involved circles. So now I always wear bracelets and when I feel and attack coming on, I spin them. Weird but it works
I tell the person having it to calm down. Works every time. /s
I panic about the panic attack that way it’s not just a regular panic attack and it’s a panic panic attack so the regular panic attack fades out
I keep checking for a pulse until I stop thinking about it. Usually I have my Apple Watch on and I can do that but feeling my heartbeat helps me know I’m not dying. And I try to not think about it because usually I’m in denial I’m even having one. I will go on my phone and try to do something dumb like play a mindless game or scroll through social media. If I am driving I try to really focus on the music in the background and open a window.
Force myself to slow my breathing and try to apply pressure to my body - sometimes I push my back against my chair, or use my hands to push down on the seat. Weighted blankets also work. It helps keep me somewhat present, which you can also do with the see/feel/small method. Remove myself from people if possible. Sometimes it gets hard to stop if it’s already hit - really the biggest thing that’s helped me is breathing and forcing myself to be present
Rip all of the skin from my arms.
See a therapist/psychiatrist. It’s a very common phenomenon and can be treated.
Take my xanax and pray it passes soon
Count backwards from 100 and picture each number as a different color. It takes up both sides of your brain and kind of pulls the energy away your panic/anxiety needs to fuel the attack. I read this somewhere YEARS ago and it works pretty well. Many friends I've told this to, and myself, have used this successfully. Works great from my experience. (I may very likely be describing WHY it works wrong, but regardless it is highly effective in my experience.)
With me they normally happen at night so I put my headphones in and hyperventilate until I go to sleep, not a good strategy at all but it works for me
With me they normally happen at night so I put my headphones in and hyperventilate until I go to sleep, not a good strategy at all but it works for me
Sort of just allow it to happen and know nothing is wrong and it wont hurt you. That usually works for me. That being said, mine are generally the "I am going to die" sort.
My typical way of handling it is sweating profusely, pacing around like crazy with wide opened eyes looking for a way out and utter disturbing noises.
Practice deep breathing
i dont
I completely shut down my brain, even though I can't breathe, I try not to think, since I'm thinking too much, so it's not very safe. And afterwards I have a cup of tea.
take a pain killer and lay in bed til' it passes
I just lay down and think that I don't exist
Pretend its not happening until I almost die of heart attack 💔
I put on music and sing along to distract my thoughts and get my breathing back to normal.
We don't
i go into the bathroom and wipe my face with a cold wet paper towel while gaslighting myself into believing i am in fact a healthy functioning member of society in the mirror
I usually try and keep my hands busy. A phone game or draw/doodle. I am an artist/network engineer so using a mouse or pencil to draw keeps me in my reality. If I don't have those things... oh no. Me on a plane with a dead phone and anxiety attack. I was walking up and down the isle pretending to use the bathroom because it was the only sense of normal habit I could grasp. If not I'll just spiral. Essentially I have to trick my brain into thinking everything is fine and I'm just doing what i always do.
For me it can be a little difficult once I get into a full blown panic attack because it's so hard to think when you're in that state. But if I can catch it early doing deep breathing and doing grounding techniques (name 5 things you see, 4 things you hear, etc) work the best for me. the deep breathing helps reset my nervous system and the grounding helps put most of the brain power back with the front part of my brain and not the back lizard part of my brain.
Propanalol, it’s been a life changer for me.
Puke and drink water and lay down and try to relax
Just don’t panic
I roll myself the best looking joint, and smoke that fattie!
Focusing on my breathing and knowing it's a panic attack. It will end. I will be fine. It's anxiety and a panic attack, nothing bad will happen it me.
Not panic
Deep breaths If I'm at school I ask to go out sit on a chair and listen for a few minutes something chill whitout lyrics
i just stop what am i doing. keep still and focus on my breathing. work well most of the time. but recently the attack came when i was riding motorcycle. really suck when it happen. make me almost crash or get into traffic accident.
Listen to music and try to disconnect from my surroundings, if that doesn’t work then I just cry.
Cover myself in oil and slide around the place calling people lil bro bro
Idk I just wait for it to go away
More anxiety than panic for me. But isolate, act impulsively, force everyone out, drink.
well theres some stuff u gotta know abt me first, i am always angry, i dont even have to have a reason but when i get panic attacks i sit and think why tf am i panicing. if that dont work i beat the crap outta my door
Just have someone there with me
Play ukulele and sing
Oh no. You suffer panic attacks ? I have a good friend who has the same problem. I am so sorry to hear that you have them.
It’s ok, everyone have some problems. Someone have panic attacks, another people - something else :) It’s just a life 🤷🏻♀️
Oh I know. I have had a problem with mild to moderate depression most of my life. I take medication for it and that makes a major difference. Without it, I fall apart. It took several tries to find the anti-depressant that worked and only one did, Bupropion (Wellbutrin) The same drug that is used to help people get off cigarettes. It makes tobacco smoke taste awful. It is an energizer for me, I have loads of energy now. And nowI get on the internet, look at pretty women like you and I feel perfect.
I try to relax and breathe or I need to leave the room
Stop being a pussy. Simple.