Overwhelmed? Facing Panic Attacks Without Fear

Facing panic attacks can be daunting and downright scary. They take you to a place that is unknown, especially with the first couple of ones. I won’t say you get used to them, but you learn to curtail the symptoms after awhile.

Managing panic attacks becomes easier when you recognize the symptoms and the techniques to squelch them. I managed mine through different breathing techniques. It just becomes an automatic response.

When you’ve been dealing with them for a long period of time, like me, it still gets to me a little bit, but I don’t freakout like before. I’ve learned to face them head on and not let them destroy my life anymore.

“Facing a panic attack doesn’t make you weak; it proves just how strong you really are.”

Physical symptoms of panic attack

The physical symptoms of a panic attack can be intense and often mimic other medical conditions, which can make them feel even more alarming. Common physical symptoms include:

Firstly, rapid heartbeat (palpitations)
Shortness of breath or hyperventilation
Chest pain or discomfort
Sweating (often profuse)
Shaking or trembling
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Additionally, nausea or stomach discomfort
Chills or hot flashes
Numbness or tingling sensations (especially in hands or feet)
Feeling of choking or tightness in the throat
Muscle tension or aches
Blurred vision
Dry mouth
Headache
Lastly, fatigue or weakness after the attack subsides

Facing panic attacks head on

When you face panic attacks head on, they become less threatening. You take away their power over you. Once I gathered the courage to do so, everything changed. I became more confident, and I wasn’t afraid of the anymore.

There was a rush of relief that flowed through me. Ever since then, the anxiety has calmed down. I was ready to come out of my shell and face the world. I had isolated myself so much that I forgot how to live.

My thinking was that if I isolated myself (no stress), I wouldn’t have panic attacks. So dead wrong, they still managed to find me. So, I took the bull by the horns and fought back. And guess what…I won.

“The waves of panic may crash, but you are the shore standing steady.”

Panic attack help tips

Here are some calming strategies to help with panic attacks:

Deep Breathing

As I mentioned earlier, deep breathing helps stop the attack before it blows up full force. You’re distracted by breathing deeply (like 3-3-3). In the beginning, I was surprised how well it worked.

Resonant breathing

Resonant breathing, also called coherent breathing, can help you calm anxiety and get into a relaxed state. To try it yourself:

Lie down and close your eyes.
Gently breathe in through your nose, mouth closed, for a count of six seconds.
Don’t fill your lungs too full of air.
Exhale for six seconds, allowing your breath to leave your body slowly and gently. Don’t force it.
Continue for up to 10 minutes.
Take a few additional minutes to be still and focus on how your body feels.

Go for a Walk & Play Some Music

I used to walk a set path every morning for ninety minutes while listening to my music. Rain, cold, or heat, I was out walking. It felt so invigorating! Then Parkinson’s hit. My knees kept getting weaker each day, so I had to stop.

I enjoyed my time walking, because I felt free from the anxiety. Any type of exercise can boost those feel-good endorphins in your brain.

Think of Your Happy Place (something funny)

One of the jobs I worked at was a frozen yogurt place. I was friends with the manager, and we used to get into whip cream fights. That was my happy place where I could be me with no restraints.

Your happy place should be a place where you can be you. No anxiety or panic attacks exist. It’s a place full of joyfulness and compassion for yourself. This happy place is you, and you are it. Nothing can harm you there.

How to stop waves of panic attacks

Stress management tips

Here are some stress management tips for anxiety:

Get Some Space and Talk to Yourself

Find a place where you can be by yourself, especially if you’re in public. Communicate with yourself that everything will be alright. You’re always fine after it ends. And they always end.

You don’t necessarily have to know why it happened, because sometimes they come out of thin air. Just work on your self-talk. “It’s going to be alright.” “This will end soon.”

“Strength is found not in avoiding fear, but in picking yourself up after every stumble.”

Stop Repressing What is Bothering You

The worst thing you can do is stuff down your feelings, especially anxiety. It just festers in you until it might explode. Expressing your feelings to someone who will listen and not judge you in any way.

I repressed my anger towards the panic attacks, which worsened the attacks. One day it all came bubbling up, and I attempted to take my life. After I survived, you couldn’t shut me up. I felt the relief of talking to someone.

Go Easy on Yourself

Don’t take your insecurities out on yourself. I did that over and over, and it just left scars (emotionally and physically). I turned my outward anger for anxiety and turned it inward. For many years it was like that.

When I got the anxiety under control, I started building my self-confidence. Nowadays, I haven’t had a panic attack in awhile. I feel more like I used to be. You can too, just give yourself a chance and stop blaming yourself.

Let go of the tension

Facing panic attacks will release tension. Tension in the body may result from not letting go of the feelings from anxiety. Sometimes you have to let go of frustration and anger in order to heal oneself.

There comes a point where you just have to say screw it and let it go. You’ll feel so much better, and there won’t be any resentment towards yourself. Life has many choices, make sure you choose the right ones.

Think About After

Think about after the panic attack is over. There is calmness again. You know the attack won’t last forever, even though it feels like it at the time. The aftermath is peaceful, and you’re in control again.

No more fear that you can’t breathe. Your breathing is back to normal. Your hearts not racing anymore. Profusely sweating has stopped. All these good things to look foward to.

Panic attack prevention

Identify Triggers

Facing panic attacks is helped by identifying triggers. In the quiet moments before dawn, when the world still holds its breath, use the Mood App to keep track of when you feel anxious and see if you can find a pattern.

Identifying your triggers is the first part of a panic attack prevention. I know my triggers, so I try to stay away from those situations or even people. There are certain people who know how to push your buttons.

For situations, I allow myself an allotted time in that situation. For example, when I go to the grocery store, I allow myself so much time in there before I have a panic attack. Also, I go to the same stores where I know the layout to reduce time looking for things.

“The darkest moments may feel endless, but facing them makes you brighter every time.”

Herbal remedies for anxiety

Kava: Kava, native to the South Pacific, has been shown in studies to significantly reduce anxiety. However, it’s important to note that some products containing kava have been associated with liver damage, so caution is advised.
Lemon balm: Lemon balm has been found to improve mood and attention, and its chemicals may help calm agitation.
Lavender: Lavender’s calming aroma and potential “emotional anti-inflammatory” properties have been linked to reduced anxiety, especially in situations like dental procedures.
Chamomile: Chamomile is known for its relaxing properties and may help with anxiety and improve sleep. Some studies suggest that chamomile can alter cortisol levels, a stress hormone.
Valerian: Valerian root has been used for centuries as a herbal remedy for nervousness and anxiety, and is thought to relax muscles and slow down brain activity.
Ashwagandha: Ashwagandha, an Ayurvedic herb, has gained recognition in the West for its potential to help with anxiety and stress.
Hops: Hops, the flowers of a commercially grown herb, have sedating properties that may help with anxiety.

Understand your subconscious power

Your subconscious mind is super open and ready to take suggestions, and you actually have way more control over it than you might realize. You’ve got the power to ease anxiety and focus on feeling calm and confident—it’s all within your reach!

Your subconscious is highly impressionable, so learning how to communicate with it is super important. Think of your subconscious mind like a little child, and your conscious mind as the parent.

Everything you say shapes a response of either fear or love, depending on your thoughts. Wouldn’t you choose to speak to that child in a kinder, calmer way?

text — Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

Discover a positive self-concept

The way you speak about your life (in your own mind and out loud to others) is essentially a way of creating your own story, both to yourself and to other people. The words that you use to describe yourself, your family, where you live and the work that you do are important.

How to apply a positive self-concept in everyday life

First thing in the morning and last thing at night, visualize yourself going through each day the way you wish to think, feel and behave. As humans, we are unique in our ability to imagine.

When you close your eyes and imagine something, your body will respond to the images in your mind as if the event were happening.

Each day acknowledge what was good about the day, and make a point of telling your family and friends about the good or funny things that happened.

The mind forms memories through experiences, so it is useful to acknowledge positive events and build on them.

“Courage is not the absence of fear but the ability to face it—even in the form of a panic attack.”

Sum it all up

So, now it’s time to start facing your panic attacks. Don’t let them run your life. If you do not fight back, you’re only going down a rabbit hole that will be harder to get out of. I went down that path, and it took me years to get on the right path.

Furthermore, I believe in subconscious power, because it brought me out of the anxiety and panic attacks. I believed there was a better life on the other side of my existence. I imagined a calmer me without suffering from panic attacks.

Therefore, I kept my goal in my mindset. I let many things go that were holding me back from that vision of me in a stable place. That was the spark that kept me going. So, hold on to that spark and make it grow bigger and bigger until you’re finally free from anxiety. Peace and love. Until next time…