How to Calm a Panic Attack Without Going to the Doctor
Today we are going to focus on one of the common conditions that can happen to any of us- panic attacks. Many of us have experienced this unpleasant condition, or have seen it occur in loved ones. However, despite its prevalence, panic attacks can be quite difficult to manage and can cause a lot of anxiety and fear. In this post, we will discuss several ways that can help you overcome a panic attack without seeing a doctor.
What Is a Panic Attack and How Does It Form in the Body?
A panic attack is a condition in which a person experiences extreme anxiety, fear, and worry, which may be accompanied by physical sensations such as rapid heart rate, shivering, sweating, difficulty breathing, dizziness, etc. At the heart of a panic attack is the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, which mobilizes the body to fight or flee in response to a perceived threat.
A trigger for a panic attack can be any event that is perceived as threatening or alarming. Often, however, these triggers go unrecognized and panic attacks occur subconsciously. In such cases, sympathetic nervous system activation occurs at the level of the amygdala, the subcortical structures responsible for the response to stress.
It is important to note that the sympathetic nervous system is part of the autonomic nervous system, which regulates the automatic functions of the body. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for mobilizing the body to fight and flight, which allows us to stay alive in critical situations. The parasympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, is configured to rest and repair the body.
Normally, these two systems interact and balance each other. However, during a panic attack, the sympathetic nervous system works in a heightened mode, which can cause unpleasant physical sensations and increase feelings of anxiety and fear. In such cases, it is important to learn how to manage your reactions to stress and find ways to relieve tension and anxiety in order to avoid panic attacks.
During a panic attack, significant changes occur in the body’s physiology. Activation of the sympathetic nervous system causes the release of adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol, resulting in an increase in heart rate and respiration. Blood flow is redistributed in such a way that blood flows away from the internal organs that are not involved in the struggle to those that ensure survival – the brain, heart, lungs and muscles.
As a result of these changes, a person begins to experience palpitations, chest discomfort, and pain, which may be mistakenly perceived as symptoms of cardiovascular disease. Increased breathing rate may lead to a feeling of shortness of breath. At the same time, increased breathing causes carbon dioxide to be flushed out of the blood, which can cause decreased oxygen levels in the brain and exacerbate panic attack symptoms. In general, a panic attack is the body’s physiological response to a stressful situation that can occur at any time. Understanding what happens during an attack can help a person manage his or her symptoms and reduce anxiety levels.
The blood vessels in the brain have a special setting that allows them to automatically contract when the concentration of carbon dioxide decreases. This can lead to impaired cerebral blood flow, causing unpleasant sensations such as numbness, weakness, tremors, and spreading to the extremities. In some cases, it can cause psychological disturbances, and the person may feel out of sorts.
However, it is important to understand that a panic attack is not life or health threatening, although its symptoms may be very similar to a heart attack, stroke or heart attack. If a person is young and does not suffer from chronic cardiovascular or pulmonary disease, the likelihood of having a panic attack is higher.
Stress reactions triggered by a panic attack usually last 20 to 30 minutes. Then there is activation of the prefrontal cortex area, which helps the person realize that nothing terrible is happening. This activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which slows the heart rate, silences the sympathetic nervous system reactions, adrenaline levels drop, the heart rate is restored, and the person begins to feel better. It is important to know that these catastrophic symptoms associated with a panic attack pass with time.
Learn the “54321” Technique for Quick Panic Attack Relief
Let’s discuss how you can help yourself with panic attacks. It is important to understand that such attacks are the body’s physiological reaction to stress. When you begin to experience palpitations, increased breathing rate and other uncomfortable sensations, you may begin to panic and have catastrophic thoughts that exacerbate the state of stress. This can cause you to release more adrenaline and make the situation worse.
To break this vicious cycle, it is important to recognize that you are stressed and panicked and that it is not life-threatening. Acknowledging this fact will help relieve some of the stress and allow you to evaluate your situation more objectively. If you often experience panic attacks, it can be helpful to learn relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or meditation. These can help reduce stress levels and prevent panic attacks from occurring. It’s also worth paying attention to your lifestyle: a healthy sleep schedule, diet, and physical activity can help reduce stress levels and improve overall well-being.
The “54321” technique, also known as grounding technique, can be used to cope with the symptoms of panic attacks. It helps to refocus one’s attention from inner feelings to outer feelings. Specifically, the number “5” involves looking around and finding five objects that surround you. Then each of these objects should be described in detail, concentrating on its visual characteristics.
The number “4” implies feeling four things that you can touch. These can be tactile sensations, such as the roughness of a wall, heat or cold, and the sensations on the soles of the feet. Each tactile sensation should also be described. The number “3” suggests paying attention to the sounds around you. This could be the sound of your breathing or heart, as well as environmental sounds such as people speaking or extraneous sounds. Each sound should be described in concentration and detail.
The number “2” suggests paying attention to two smells around you. It can be any odor, pleasant or unpleasant, but you must inhale it and describe it to yourself. Finally, the number “1” involves paying attention to taste by tasting something, such as chewing gum, a lollipop, or just water, and describing it in detail.
This technique allows you to translate internal sensations to external ones, to occupy the brain by testing the reality around it, which will reduce internal tension. It can be useful in managing emotions and dealing with panic attacks.
Other Simple Techniques That Can Help with Panic Attacks
If the previous techniques don’t help or don’t help enough to deal with hyperventilation, you can try a breathing technique that can help restore normal breathing levels. To do this, you can use the 2-4 or 3-6 technique.
With the 2-4 technique, you breathe in slowly and shallowly through your nose for two counts, then hold your breath for as long as you can, then slowly exhale through your mouth for four counts. The peculiarity of this technique is that you should not try to breathe deeply, as this can only aggravate hyperventilation. It is important to breathe in calmly and slowly.
It is also possible to increase the time intervals when using this technique. For example, instead of 2-4, you can use 3-6, where you breathe in through your nose for three counts, then hold your breath for three counts, and slowly exhale with your mouth for six counts. Continue repeating this technique until you feel more calm and relaxed.
If you feel a panic attack and can’t handle it on your own, don’t despair. Even if you can’t stop the attack completely, trying to control it can already reduce its strength and duration. For example, you can try to distract yourself with something else to reduce the level of anxiety. Get up and do some physical activity that will help you take your mind off your thoughts. This can be a simple warm up or simple exercises that you can do at home.
If this method does not work, then try to relax and realize that the panic attack passes in time and nothing terrible is happening to you. It may help to engage in some kind of activity that engages you and keeps your thoughts from drifting toward anxiety. This could be reading, watching a movie, or taking up some kind of hobby.
But it is important to remember that if panic attacks occur too often or are too strong, you should not put off going to the doctor or psychotherapist. They can suggest more effective ways for you to cope with the problem and recommend treatment if necessary.
Conclusion
To conclude the article, it can be emphasized that panic attacks can become quite common in people, but they are not dangerous to health and can be managed. Knowing the causes of attacks and using breathing control and relaxation techniques can help manage them. Moreover, knowing that a panic attack is not dangerous to health can reduce anxiety and fear when it occurs. Therefore, it is important to remember that when you have panic attacks, you can learn how to cope with them and reduce their impact on your daily life.