Anxiety disorders are the most common form of mental health problem in the world. They take many forms, but it’s not unusual for them to manifest in anxiety attacks. One type of anxiety plays out as a panic disorder. Therefore, it can be tricky to tell the difference between an anxiety attack and a panic attack. But what matters most is that the tips offered below are useful in either instance.
For the record, both types of attacks can cause physical and emotional symptoms. Generally speaking, an anxiety attack is related to an obvious stressor. A panic attack can feel like it arrived out of the blue.
6 Ways to Calm an Anxiety Attack
1. Step Away From Your Devices
Life in the digital age is a documented source of anxiety and panic. The last thing you need when feeling under assault is to connect to a device. Turn off and tune out the noise. Tune into what you’re feeling and recognize that the distress will pass soon.
2. Breathing Exercises
This is about as fundamental as it gets. Humans have known for thousands of years that breathing exercise can:
- Normalize your breathing patterns
- Slow your heart rate
- Reduce blood pressure
- Bring clarity to your thoughts
3. Journaling
There is power in writing down (preferably with a pen and paper) what you are feeling. Name your emotions. Identify triggers. Monitor your solutions. Ask yourself questions about what is making you feel anxiety and/or panic. Over time, answer and re-answer your questions.
4. Try Visualization, Meditation, or Guided Imagery
Your mind is so powerful. It can bring on an anxiety attack merely by imagining a stressful scenario. Therefore, it only stands that you can use this immense power to flip the script. Put your mind to work via visualization, meditation, or guided imagery (or any combination of the three). See yourself in a situation that is calm, safe, and familiar. Cultivate this as a coping tool you can apply whenever you get triggered.
5. Music
It’s no secret that music can be very soothing and healing. In fact, music that you like or find calming can directly counter the negative impact of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. The premise is basically what you might imagine it is. Carefully choose music that takes you to a place of relaxation and comfort. Create a playlist if that works best for you. Then let the music guide you out of the distress.
6. Ground Yourself
As an anxiety attack starts to spiral, you may lose all sense of where you are in space and time. What you desperately need is to feel grounded. One of the easiest and most popular ways to do this is called the 5-4-3-2-1 method. Look around you and identify:
- 5 things you see
- 4 things you feel
- 3 things you hear
- 2 things you smell
- 1 thing you taste
As all your senses are engaged, you will find that staying in a state of high alert is virtually impossible. You are fully present and in control.
Sometimes, You Need More Than Self-Help
Both Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder are diagnosable mental health conditions. No one is expected to handle such problems on their own. Connecting with an experienced therapist is an ideal first step toward gaining a better understanding of what’s going on. From there, you will be well-positioned to uncover root causes, counterproductive patterns, and healthy new approaches.
Begin Working with An Anxiety Therapist in Columbus, OH
A wide range of effective treatment options exists to counter anxiety and panic attacks. If issues like this are impacting your life, I urge you to reach out for support. Our team of caring therapists can help you navigate career stress and cope with future anxiety in healthier ways. We would be happy to offer support from our Columbus, OH-based practice. You can start your therapy journey by following these simple steps:
- Get in touch with Blue Boat Counseling.
- Get connected with a caring therapist you can trust.
- Start improving your mental health!
Other Services Offered At Blue Boat Counseling
Anxiety therapy isn’t the only service our team of therapists offers. Blue Boat Counseling is happy to offer a variety of mental health services in support of your mental health. We are happy to offer mental health services including depression therapy, couples therapy, teen and family therapy, and veteran therapy. We also offer online therapy and in-person services as well. Learn more by visiting our blog today.
