Coping with and overcoming panic

[rexymeteorite]

As many of you know, I have been going through some very tough times with Panic Disorder lately. Yesterday, I talked to my counselor about it, and he suggested some ways to help overcome the panic. I have noticed that a lot of us emets struggle with the same type of panic attacks when we feel sick or nauseous. Perhaps these methods could help.

Method #1) How to release tension with "stress relief breathing"

this breathing exercise is an ideal way to help relieve stress.

Here is how:

A. Sit or stand in a relaxed position

B. Slowly inhale through your nose, counting to five in your head.

C. Let the air out from your mouth, counting to eight in your head as it leaves your lungs.

D. Repeat several times.

Some tips:

A. As you breathe, let your abdomen expand outward, rather than raising your shoulders. This is a more relaxed and natural way to breathe, and helps your lungs fill themselves more fully with fresh air, releasing more of the "old air.

B. You can do this just a few times to release tension, or for several minutes as a form of meditation. Meditation and prayer can also help relieve panic attacks!

C. If you like, you can make your throat a little tighter as you exhale so the air comes out like a whisper. This type of breathing is used in yoga and can add additional stress relief.



Method #2) Guided Imagery

Guided imagery is a simple relaxation technique that can help one quickly and easily manage stress and panic. Its like indulging in a vivid daydream, and with practice, this technique can help you access your own inner wisdom.

Here's how to do it

A. Get into a comfortable position, like one you would use for meditation or self-hypnosis. Some may chose to lay down, some others may chose to sit cross-legged or recline in a comfortable chair.

B. Use diaphragmic deep breathing (or stress relief breathing discussed above) and close your eyes, focusing on breathing in peace and breathing out stress or panic.

C. Once you are in a comfortable position and relaxed state, begin to envision yourself in the midst of the most relaxing environment you can imagine, or imagine a very positive memory. For some, this would be floating in cool, clean water. For others its sitting by a fire in a secluded snowy wood.

D. As you imagine your scene, try to involve all of your senses. What does it look like? How does it feel? What special scents are involved? Do you hear the roaring of a fire, or the splashing of the cool water on your face? Make your vision so real you can even taste it!

E. Stay here for as long as needed. Remember, physically replace the bad memories with new, more positive memories of the place you have transported yourself to. Try to make the vision as vivid as possible for all of your senses.

Some tips:

A. You may want to use ambient noise (such as a water fall, or the sound of a roaring fire) to help transport you to your vision. You can also use calming music. I personally recommend Enya.

B. Make sure you set an alarm before you start this technique if you have to be somewhere in the next couple of hours. You may fall asleep while visiting your visionary world.

C. As you get more practiced at visiting your vision, you will be able to to visit your world more quickly and vividly.



Method #3) Progressive relaxation

Progressive relaxation is a very quick way to alleviate symptoms of a panic attack. This method can be used in tandem with the other two described above

Here is how to do it

A. Get in a comfortable position. Minimally tighten your fist so that you only feel the smallest amount of tension. Hold it at this level. Be sure you continue to breathe. Now let go and relax. Observe the difference in feelings between the right and left arm and fist.

B. Now minimally tighten your left fist. Hold it at this level so that you just feel the tightening...now let go and relax. The the relaxation spread through the arms and the rest of the body.

C. Reminder: each time you tighten only to the point at which you can observe tension, where you can observe tension, where you become conscious of or can "feel" the tension. Hold the tensions at that level and be sure you tighten only the intended muscle while the rest of the body stays relaxed and quiet. Each time you let go let go, let those parts relax further and further. Now keeping this in mind, tighten ever so slightly the following parts of your body: scalp -- tighten and release the scalp, letting the relaxation spread throughout your body. Throat -- tighten and release, letting relaxation flow through you.

D. Now tighten and release the triceps and let the relaxation spread through you.

E. Raise your shoulders to your ears minimally. Be sure the neck stays loose. Observe how the shoulders feel different from the rest of the body -- let go and relax. Feel the relaxation sinking through the body. Minimally tighten the stomach, let go and relax, letting relaxation spread through the body. Remember to keep breathing and keep other parts of the body relaxed as possible. Minimally tighten the feet, calves and thighs. Let go and relax. Let yourself reach and even deeper level of relaxation, calmness and serenity

F. Now minimally tighten every muscle in your body so that you feel the minimum tension -- jaws, eyes, shoulders, arms, chest, back, legs, stomach. Be sure to keep breathing. Feel the minimum tension in each part of the body for at least a few seconds. Now let your whole body relax. Feel a wave of calmness as you stop tensing.

G. Now, with your eyes closed, take a deep breath and hold it. Not all the minimum tensions. Exhale (using relaxation breathing described above, it may take a few times) and feel the calmness developing. Note the feeling of heaviness and euphoria.


All three of these methods can be used separately in a pinch, or together either during a panic attack or at night time to help ward off panic.

Hopefully this helps some people struggling with panic attacks!

[sarahcox]

Thank you for this post! I too have learned some relaxation techniques from my therapist including deep breathing and "tapping" It always helps to have more techniques! Thanks!

[jennjt]

This is great! Thanks! Breathing really works-- especially when I remember to breathe deep into my belly, not just my chest. I am amazed at how tense I am when I practice the progressive relaxation thing, too... it's like anytime I am not paying attention, my shoulders automatically hunch up around my ears! I have to focus to drop them and relax. Sarah, what is "tapping?" I'm intrigued!

[sarahcox]

Tapping is used to stimulate different acupressure points....I will explain best I can without demonstrating...you take your finger tips and tap lightly above your eyebrows (both hands) tap for about 30 seconds, then move to your temples, then between your nose and upper lip...then right under your bottom lip.....on both sides of your chest, right below your shoulders like where your bra strap lays, then tap the webbing between your thumbs and first fingers then on the other side, like on your palm b under the muscle where your thumb is...sorry, I tried to explain best I could hah its hard to describe without showing...you tap each point for about 30 seconds and then repeat if necessary. As you do it you concentrate on the tapping feeling. It helps to calm down the limbic part of your brain where panic, anxiety dwell. I do it for my PTSD when I start having flashbacks or anxiety for an unknown reason. You should do it a few times a day even if you are not anxious because your body will start recongnizing what you are doing it and it helps calm you down faster and faster. Hope that helps, it sounds a little confusing, if you have any other questions about it, please ask I also do alternate nostril breathing which you can google, again its hard to explain but SUPER effective. Even helps with sleep.