How to Get Panic Relief: 5 Methods

There is nothing like a panic attack to get your attention. And its not something you want to repeat. Ever.

But many do. Often living in a heightened sense of anxiety, panic attack sufferers are predisposed to more attacks. So they are looking for a way out. They are looking for panic attack relief.

Here are five possible methods to fight back.

I. Breathing exercises

Believe it or not, controlling your breathing during a panic attack is quite effective in most cases. In an attack, we tend to hyperventilate. Hyperventilation produces tingling sensations in the ears or fingers, dizziness, a feeling of unreality. Slow, controlled breathing both short circuits those sensations, but also contributes positively to a sense of calm.

Practice breathing slowly when calm so as to be better prepared when under an attack. Breathe in for four seconds, hold your breath briefly, and slowly exhale. Repeat this for four minutes, at least once early in the day and once later. Keep going for several weeks.

II. Observe yourself, think, and act

Do you have stresses that might have contributed to a heightened sense of anxiety (even like drug withdrawal)? Are you more inclined to have an attack after eating or drinking certain things, maybe the day after? Are you more susceptible when you lack sleep? Are there certain conditions or places that trigger an attack? Do you think rationally about dangers or threats or problems when under an attack? What dangers? What threats? What problems? Is there another way of thinking about them?

We tend to have out-of-control thoughts or irrational "what if" thoughts or morbid thoughts when under an attack or when an attack is triggered.

Think carefully about what triggers and what contributes to your attacks. Thi may be easy and it may be difficult. You may think you know something only to find out later that you did not.

But there may be something you can do to reduce your risk of an attack or reduce the severity of an attack. If you pinpoint an irrational thought, write down a rational counterpart. If you think you are going crazy in an attack, remind yourself it will pass and you will get back to normal.

III. Avoid what excites

Of course if there is something like caffeine that you find gives you an extra boost to throw you into a panic attack, stop the caffeine. Even the caffeine in soft drinks. Read the labels, there may be caffeine in soft drinks where you thought there was none.

Or if some music or video game or multitasking throws you into a heightened sense of anxiety or triggers an attack. Avoid what excites.

Of course there are conditions or people or tasks that you should not avoid. We tend to avoid responsibility, and a goal for panic attack sufferers is to face responsibility rather than avoid it.

V. Consume what calms

Aside from some prescription drugs, there are vitamins, herbs, nutritional supplements, aromatherapy substances, and homeopathic remedies that are known for there calming effects. If you are on drugs already, be sure to consult your doctor first, since there may be negative effects to taking certain drugs and certain nutritional items together.

Examples of calming herbs include Kava Kava, Lemon Balm, Passionflower and Valerian. Examples of vitamins and nutrients with typically beneficial effects for panic include B-vitamins, GABA, magnesium and tryptophan.

While calming substances may help offset the detriment of heightened anxiety and be a help to controlling panic, they may not get at the root cause(s) of panic unless nutritional deficiency is a cause.

V. Face what needs to be faced

A prime goal of panic attack sufferers often is avoidance of the object or objects of panic. Oftentimes the best assurance against further panic is facing one's fears. This does not mean deliberately getting in harms way. It does mean accomplishing what can and should be done.

If the panic attack sufferer is not ready, sometimes gradual exposure is advisable. Exposure need not be done alone, and sometimes a sympathetic and helpful friend or therapist can encourage in the task. And other methods such as the above can be used in addition.

But facing what needs to be faced often establishes a pattern of success which comprises one of the most powerful means of getting panic attack relief.