Anyone who’s ever had one needs to know how to handle panic attacks.  Here are a few tips to at least get you started on successfully moving beyond anxiety attacks.

It’s possible to be free of these attacks  They’ll be ancient history.

To begin, know that you should to see your physician if you haven’t already.  Some physical problems can mimic an anxiety episode but aren’t.  You need to make sure that’s not the case with you. 

Once you’ve done that and you’ve been through the work up and you know you’re not sick, you can move on to handling the feelings of anxiety.

Here Are Some Ways To Do It

You probably already know about it but I’ll mention deep breathing again here because it is a good foundation.  For reasons that aren’t clear, even people who don’t have anxiety problems don’t breath properly.  With anxiety] [disorders proper breathing is even more necessary because rapis, shallow breathing worsens the physical sensations of panic.

Also, paying attention to your breathing changes your focus away from your fearful thoughts.

You can get more information on How to Stop a Panic Attack at that link.  Here I want to give you one powerful approach.

Halt the Vicious Cycle

Anxiety can become a chain event because the first minor symptoms trigger the worry that a full-blown attack might be beginning.   These concerns increase the anxiety, which increases the symptoms, which… 

You see how that might go.

A way to halt this cycle is to take the perspective of like an interested observer rather than a participant. 

You’ve had a complete physical so you know as a fact that you’re physically not at risk.

You’ve also had these events before and know that as bad as they are you get through them.

Use this knowledge to let yourself to observe what’s going on rather than identifying with it.  You’ve had a panic attack before and you survived that so you realize you’ll likely survive this.

Observe yourself having the symptoms as if you’re someone else rather than the one experiencing the event  Experiencing anxiety about the possibility of having a panic attack will only make it worse.

Some people are able to adapt this detached attitude by imagining they’re watching the event in a movie or a play instead of than getting completely caught up in the situation.  This detached attitudehelps them keep perspective and know that their fear isn’t stemming from any real danger.

Having been through anxiety events in the past without long-term consequences gives reason to question the validity of the current anxiety episode.

Cognitive therapists often use these rational thoughts to guide people to defuse the fearful thoughts that accompany an anxiety attack.

A therapist is very helpful but many people do it on their own.

A Great Resource

Obviously this is only one way to go.  I found a review of an excellent program to free yourself from panic attacks that I highly recommend you check out.  Just follow that link.

Remember that if you don’t identify with with the panic attack you reduce its ability to upset you.

One of the most important things you can do about panic attacks is to become knowledgable.  Stack the deck in your favor.  Go to Panic Attack Release.