Overcoming the Stress of Panic Attacks

Do you suffer from panic attacks? Are you sure that's what they are? Let me give you an idea of what a panic attack feels like to me.

They're a terrible burden, suddenly stopping me cold in my tracks. There's no feeling quite like them. The room starts to move, or to look hazy, and my heart begins pounding. My stomach contracts, my legs get shaky, and suddenly I sweat uncontrollably.

The worst thing is knowing that there really isn't any danger - but your body is insisting that there is. I know rationally that nothing is going to happen to me, but rationality goes right out the window when an attack starts. I simply have to get out of wherever I am as soon as possible, and head home.

Here are five steps you can take toward relieving stress. Some of them are immediate quick-fixes, while others are longer term projects.

Don't just sit there ... move!

According to many psychologists, motion creates emotion. You might notice that when you are idle, it's easier to become depressed. Your heart rate slows down, less oxygen travels to your brain, and you are slumped somewhere in a chair blocking air from reaching your lungs.

I challenge you right now, regardless of how you are feeling, to get up and walk around at a fast tempo. Maybe you might want to go to an empty room and jump up and down a little bit. It may sound silly but the results speak for themselves. Try it now for a few minutes. It works like magic.

Exercise can be a great stress buster. People with anxiety disorders might worry that aerobic exercise could bring on a panic attack. After all, when you exercise, your heart rate goes up, you begin to sweat, and your breathing becomes heavier.

Don't panic - it's not an attack! Tell yourself this over and over while you're exercising. Realize that there's a big difference between the physical symptoms of a panic attack and what happens when you exercise.

Smell the roses

How do you smell the roses? How about investing some money to go on that one trip you've been dreaming about? Visit a country with lots of exotic places to jolt your imagination and spur your creativity. You need to detach from your daily activities and venture a little bit.

Help others cope with their problems

It is very therapeutic when you engross yourself in helping others. You will be surprised how many people's problems are worse than those you may be facing. You can offer others assistance in countless ways. Don't curl up in your bed and let depression and stress take hold of you.

Get out and help somebody. But be careful. Don't get caught up in other people's problems in an attempt to forget about your own.

I am constantly being called by friends and family when they want to vent or get advice. I joke and tell them "Don't call the ‘crazy' person for advice!" But there are times that I find myself worrying about the ones who call me and I get caught up in what they're going through. This just gives me more stress than I already have and I find that I have to step away and re-assess myself and my priorities.

I'm now to the point where I can tell them that I just can't deal with it right now and to call back later. Sometimes they get upset, but more often than not, they understand. But I've learned not to get too upset about their reactions. If it won't matter in a week, it shouldn't matter right now.

Laugh a little

By now you've heard that laughter is a good internal medicine. It relieves tension and loosens the muscles. It causes blood to flow to the heart and brain. More importantly, laughter releases a chemical that rids the body of pains.

Every day, researchers discover new benefits of laughter. Let me ask you this question: "Can you use a good dose of belly-shaking laughter every now and then?" Of course you can. What you are waiting for? Go to a comedy club or rent some funny movies.

Wear your knees out

If there were one sustainable remedy I could offer you when the going gets tough, it would be prayer. Many people, depending on their faith, might call it meditation. It doesn't matter to me what you call it, as long as you have a place to run to.

One of the unfortunate outcomes of excessive stress and anxiety is a physical reaction of your body to the situation. It’s like your body is telling you that you need to rest for a moment. Except when you’re having a panic attack, it’s anything but restful.

I had my first panic attack while my husband and I were driving home from a football game. We were about 30 miles from our home when I began to feel a bit “off”. I was having trouble breathing, my body felt disconnected, and my heart was beating at what seemed like 90 miles an hour.

I pulled the van off to the side of the highway and got out hoping to “walk it off”. But it didn’t work. No matter what I tried, I couldn’t catch my breath. I felt like I was dying. I remember saying over and over again, “Please not now. I’m not ready.” It was horrifying.

The good news is that I wasn’t dying – obviously! But that night began a terrible journey for me into how my body reacted to excessive stress and anxiety. Since then, I have had many panic attacks, but I also learned how to recognize that one might be coming on and how to control it. I’m not always able to get hold of it completely and will occasionally fall into full-blown panic mode, but it’s a lot better than it was.

So, let’s look at the signs that you might be having a panic attack. The following list gives tell-tale warning signs of an oncoming panic attack.

• Palpitations
• A pounding heart, or an accelerated heart rate
• Sweating
• Trembling or shaking
• Shortness of breath
• A choking sensation
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Nausea or stomach cramps
• De-realization (a feeling of unreality)
• Fear of losing control or going crazy
• Fear of dying
• Numbness or a tingling sensation in your face and limbs
• Chills or hot flashes

You would be surprised at how many people go to the hospital emergency room completely sure that they’re having a heart attack only to find out that it’s a panic attack. They’re that intense!

There are things that help with my problem, although nothing has completely freed me from panic attacks. I've tried almost every kind of treatment, from drugs to meditation to biofeedback to diet to exercise to ... well, let's just say that I've held back from anything that involves goat entrails. Mostly.

Most of the treatments worked, but the benefits were either temporary or had side effects. Of course, drugs provided both the greatest benefits and the greatest side effects. And if I stopped using the drugs ... everything came crashing down again.