Panic Attack Help: 12 Coping Techniques For When You Are Alone

Even though they are not life-threatening, panic attacks tend to be frightening and disorienting. Often they strike without warning, making you feel as though you’re about to have a heart attack, flip out, or die. Despite the terror, however, there are things you can do to calm yourself down and make the symptoms shorter and less severe. The following 12 coping techniques for panic attack help can help you do just that.

Panic attack help when you are alone.

1. Recognize the signs.

The first and most important step is to learn how to recognize the signs of a panic attack so you know you are not experiencing something else. Remind yourself that you are not in any physical danger, you are not facing a life-threatening emergency, you are not dying or having a heart attack, and no matter how frightening the symptoms may feel, they are only temporary and will soon pass.

2. Try to ride it out.

Riding out your panic attacks will help you come to view them as something you can handle, rather than something to fear or try to escape. If each time you feel one coming on you remind yourself that no matter how scary it feels you are okay, and the symptoms and panicky feelings will pass, the attacks will eventually become less frequent, and the symptoms less intense. In due time your mind will realize it’s been overreacting, and stop sending out alarm signals.

3. Close your eyes.

Closing your eyes during a panic attack can help block out any extra stimuli and make it easier for you to focus on your breathing. Imagine seeing yourself in a peaceful, happy place where you feel safe, relaxed, and calm.

4. Stamp your feet or move around.

Some people find that stamping their feet enables them to regain control of their breathing. The rhythm of walking or moving around can also help regulate your breathing and relax your body, as can workouts that get your heart pumping. Turn on some worship music, stamp your feet, and shift your body to the rhythm.

5. Repeat calming phrases or breath prayers to yourself.

When you feel a panic attack coming on remind yourself that you’re not in any real danger. What you’re feeling is just anxiety. Breath prayers are simple one-sentence prayers paired with the rhythm of your breath. For example, (as you inhale) “Jesus,” (as you exhale) “help me,” or “I need You.”

Repeating a comforting phrase like “Jesus help me,” or “This too shall pass,” or “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” A breath prayer can be relaxing and reassuring, giving you something to hold on to. As you focus on repeating it over and over, your physical responses will start to slow and your muscles relax.

6. Take deep abdominal breaths.

When panic begins to rise, it is important to slow down and breathe deeply. Hyperventilating is one of the manifestations of a panic attack that generates fear and worsens the other symptoms by sending the body a signal that you’re in danger.

Slow, deep breathing, on the other hand, promotes feelings of relaxation and calmness, reducing the feelings of dread during an attack. Studies have shown that deliberately focusing on each breath quiets the mind and that people who can control their breathing are less likely to hyperventilate.

How to practice abdominal breathing.

a) Sit or lie in a comfortable place.

b) Put one hand on your abdomen and one hand on your chest.

c) Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose for a count of four, feeling the hand on your abdomen rise as the air gradually fills your belly and moves up into your lungs. The hand on your chest should remain still.

d) Hold for a count of four.

e) Slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of six, feeling the hand on your belly fall as your abdomen contracts.

f) Repeat

7. Find an object to focus on.

Picking an object you can see and focusing on its details of it can help ground you and reduce your symptoms.

8. Use cold water or ice to calm you.

Holding an ice cube in your hand, splashing cold water on your face and/or letting it run over your wrists, or placing a cold, wet washcloth around the back of your neck can all help calm you.

9. Keep your mind in the present moment.

An intense panic attack can overtake your senses. Mindfulness techniques have been shown to help combat this paralyzing feeling of terror by using your five senses to ground you in the present moment. Focusing your mind on your external surroundings rather than on your racing heart, rapid breathing, or feelings of dread can stop or minimize the attack. One such mindfulness technique is the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise.

How to practice the 5-4-3-2-1 technique.

a) Look for 5 objects in your surroundings that you can clearly see. Focus on each one for a few seconds, noticing as many details as you can.

b) Listen for 4 sounds you can hear. Ask yourself where they are coming from and what is making them.

c) Touch 3 objects. Consider what each one feels like and what it is used for.

d) Identify 2 different smells.

e) Name 1 thing you can taste.

10. Do something repetitive.

Instead of allowing your mind to stay consumed by terror, divert it away from the panic attack by forcing it to do something else such as count your breaths, recite the alphabet backward, call for Jesus’ help repetitively or make a list of all the things you can think of that you are grateful for. Giving your brain a repetitive task to do has a calming effect, and reassures it that you are not in danger and that the symptoms you are feeling are not life-threatening.

11. Name your feelings.

Intentionally focus on the thoughts and feelings that arise during your panic attack. Slowly naming them, one by one, or writing them down in a journal, can help snap your brain away from the physical sensations that are blinding it. Surrender them to God Almighty your Everlasting Father who cares for you. This will help bring your mind back to the reality of the present moment.

12. Practice relaxation techniques.

Relaxation techniques such as stretching, deep breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation can help reduce panic by calming you during an attack. These methods are most effective when practiced regularly beforehand so you can be prepared when you feel a panic attack coming on.

How to practice progressive muscle relaxation.

1. a) Slowly tense up each muscle, one at a time. Feel the tension, and hold it for a count of five.
2. b) Relax the muscle, and count to ten before tensing the next one.
3. c) Repeat until all muscles in your body are relaxed.

How to support someone having a panic attack.

Sometimes instead of being the person having a panic attack, you are present when someone else is struggling. Here are some simple things you can do to help.

• Stay calm.
• Don’t ridicule or question him or her.
• Help him or her find a quiet spot
• Encourage him or her to breathe slowly and deeply.
• Remind him or her that the symptoms he or she is feeling will pass, and that he or she will be okay.
• Don’t devalue his or her emotions by telling him or her that there is nothing to worry about, but don’t validate any negative statements either.
• Talk him or her through some of the above methods such as focusing on a nearby object, or the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique.

Please give Thousand Oaks Christian Counseling a call today if you are struggling with panic attacks and feel you need more help than what this article on panic attack help could provide. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have and set up an appointment to meet with you.