How to stop a panic attack in 6 easy steps.

How To Stop A Panic Attack In 6 Easy Steps

Panic and anxiety attacks can feel very frightening and overwhelming. 

According to WHO( World Health Organization),  3.6 percent — or about 264 million individuals worldwide — have an anxiety disorder. This disorder affects a large percentage of females compared to males.

These are just recorded figures. Imagine how many people out there in the world, including myself; that is not a recorded statistic.

 There is no one solution to fix every level of panic & anxiety attacks. Every situation is not the same, and individuals are affected differently. Some have deep-rooted issues that need the help of a professional.

I highly suggest that if you are one of those people, then; it is vital to get professional help. A professional can help you comprehend the cause of your attacks and equip you with the necessary tools to handle them. 

Several different therapies can help treat panic and anxiety disorders, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, and medication.

With my recent bouts of anxiety and panic attacks, I did seek professional help. Unfortunately for me, It did not help much.

I had to find ways to deal with it on my own. The methods that I will share with you today have helped me immensely, and I hope that if you find yourself in a fix, these simple strategies will help you as well.

Is there a difference between panic and an anxiety attack?

Yes, there is a difference. While a panic attack is sudden and brought on quickly, it ends just as quickly. An anxiety attack is slow-building and lasts longer. However, both have the same effect of intense, overwhelming feelings. 

Panic attacks and anxiety attacks can lead to disorders that are very debilitating for the sufferer.

Symptoms of a panic attack

Panic attacks come on suddenly and do not last long.

Symptoms you might experience :

• Chest pain
• Sweating
• Shaking or trembling
• Nausea
• The feeling of choking
• Shortness of breath
• Palpitations or racing heart rate
• Dizziness
• Chills
• Feeling of detachment
• Feeling of unreality

Symptoms of an anxiety attack

Anxiety attacks can be terrifying and would take about ten minutes to peak. They can get intense. Symptoms of anxiety include:

• A wave of overwhelming panic
• The feeling of loss of control
• Heart palpitations and chest pain
• Hyperventilation
• Dizziness and nausea
• Feeling like you can’t breathe or will pass out
• Shaking

My Story

My panic and anxiety attacks started three months ago when my eighteen-year-old son had his first seizure. I know the definition of a seizure, but knowing and witnessing them are two different things. It was one of the most frightening things that I had experienced.

The few hours that he was in the hospital had me fearful and on edge. After running tests- including a CT scan, and ECG that came back normal, he was released and sent home.

Four hours after arriving home, he had his second seizure. Following this, he spent a week in hospital undergoing more tests. That week was painfully excruciating because I did not know what was wrong with him.

I started to feel anxious, and the fear of him dying while having a seizure in hospital became a real fear with every day that passed. I dreaded the phone ringing. Every time the phone rang, I would have a panic attack, thinking that the call would confirm my worst fears.

Every day when I visited him, I could see that he looked ok. The nurses, physician, and neurologist reassured me that he was doing well and responding to medication. I would still leave feeling anxious and jittery.

He continued his testing, including an MRI, EEG, a fasting blood glucose test, insulin resistance tests, growth hormone tests, HBA1C, and other blood tests. All of which came back normal, except for a slow wave EEG and a high random insulin resistance.

At the end of the testing, he was diagnosed with having a condition called epilepsy due to him having two unprovoked seizures within a twenty-four-hour period with no underlying conditions.

He was prescribed anticonvulsants and released from the hospital. 

You would think that finally knowing what was wrong with him would put my mind at rest, but this diagnosis just fueled my fears.

Epilepsy was just a condition that I knew about; not in a million years would I have thought it would be a part of our lives. The more I read about the condition, the more scared and frustrated I would become.

I became paranoid about his eating habits and his daily activities. I was afraid of having him out of my site.

My chest was in a constant state of tightness. I would find myself desperately asking God, the universe, or any divine entity that I could think about to make this go away.

I started living in this constant state of anxiety that took on a life of its own at night. I could not sleep, and when I did manage to sleep, my fears would manifest in my dreams, evolving into my worst nightmare. I would wake up feeling my heart beating so hard it hurt, covered in sweat yet shivering. Breathing became so difficult; that I would find myself outside my home just trying to draw in a lungful of air. I would have heart palpitations, and; my body would not stop shaking. No matter how many times I tried to calm myself down, I could not. 

I always felt a sense of impending doom, just waiting for the other shoe to drop. I lost interest in everything.

This vicious cycle continued for more than two months. I was exhausted mentally and physically.

I realized that I could not live like this anymore. I got professional help, was given counseling, and prescribed medication. It helped to some extent, but I still experienced panic attacks and nightmares.

I decided to tackle this on my own, so I scoured the internet for quick-fix solutions. I tried everything, breathing exercises, meditation, manifestations, and journaling. Nothing worked. To say I was frustrated and disappointed would be an understatement.

It was a time when I explored all avenues and failed, giving up hope of ever feeling like myself again and getting control of my life, that I remembered something important that I had forgotten.

 This little piece of forgotten information would be my first step to overcoming my anxiety and panic attacks.

Please note that I am not a medical professional, and I have no medical background whatsoever.

The following tips and techniques are what I used to overcome my attacks. It helped me and gave me back my life.

Step 1- Mind over matter

I have always been a strong advocate of positive thinking and the law of the universe. Part of self-healing and positive thinking is knowing that your mind and brain are not the same yet are interconnected. 

One cannot work without the other. Thinking, feeling, wanting, and desires are the functions of the mind. The mind utilizes the brain, and the brain reacts to the mind.

People choose their actions, thoughts, and wants. Our brains do not force us to do anything. We create our thoughts, and our brains carry out the function. Basically- what I am trying to say is that; changing your mindset is the first step you take. Nothing and no one has that power but YOU! 

My first step was to change my thoughts and feelings. It was not an easy process, and it took a lot of tries. It did not happen immediately, but it was a step in the right direction. I needed to change my mindset and program myself to think and feel differently.

Step2- Fear is just an illusion.

Almost all panic and anxiety attacks stem from some fear. Fear was the driving force behind my attacks.

 Please note some people have deep-rooted issues stemming from trauma and PDSD. These techniques might not be for them. They would need the help of a professional.

My fear was not that he had been diagnosed with epilepsy, but rather that he would have a seizure and hurt himself, or he would have one while sleeping and choke, or worse, he would stop breathing. These thoughts petrified me.

With much difficulty, I realized that I did not have the power to control his seizures. I could not find some magical cure for him. I needed to be calm and level-headed to help my child deal with this life-altering condition that was changing the course of his life. I needed to be the support system for him.

The second step that I took was to acknowledge my fears and learn to let them go and replace them with the determination to help him through this transition.

Step3- Emotions are healthy

Emotions are healthy, and we do not realize how important it is for us to express them. When I was going through my anxiety/panic attacks, I was afraid to express my feelings. Instead, I suppressed them. I was angry, hurt, frustrated, and I felt like a powder keg just waiting to blow.

 Scream out your anger and let it go. Ugly cry your sadness and hurt away. Acknowledge it, confront it, deal with it, and accept it. Your emotions are part of you. Speak your fears out aloud. 

At this stage, journaling helps as well. You will find it therapeutic.

You can try to meditate, exercise or; even change your diet. Nothing will work if you do not deal with your emotions and change your mindset.

Step4- Deep breathing 4-2-6

When I was done dealing with my emotions and changing the way I thought, I learned the healing benefits of deep breathing. Relax your body and visualize all the tension, stress, and worries leaving you. Inhale deeply for the count of four, hold your breath for a count of two, and slowly release your breath through your mouth for a count of six. Repeat this at least ten times, and feel the calmness.

Step5- Stimulate your Vagus Nerve

Vagus is a Latin word meaning wandering. It is the 10th cranial nerve and also the longest. It has the most vital role in our parasympathetic nervous system, controlling our digestive tract, lung function, our ability to swallow, and even our bladder. It has also been found to affect our mental health and can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.

It consists of two parts, a sympathetic part; and a parasympathetic part. When we have a panic/anxiety attack, it kicks off the sympathetic region, which activates the flight or fight response. During this phase, the heart rate increases, breathing become labored, and you start to sweat and shake. 

The beauty of the vagus nerve is that it can counteract the sympathetic phase by activating the parasympathetic part, which is the rest and digestive state, lowering our heart rate and regulating our breathing.

I cannot find the words to articulate the benefits of stimulating and exercising this nerve and how it helped me.

Step6- Discover the healing benefits of Qi gong.

Qi gong( pronounced chi-gong); was developed in China thousands of years ago. It is part of traditional Chinese medicine. 

Qi gong enhances mental and physical health by incorporating posture, movement, breathing technique, self-massage, sound, and focused intent. It is the practice of the mind, body, and spirit.

Qi gong is used to promote a healthy flow. Proper flow of qi can help the body engage its healing processes. 

They are simple and easy exercises that anyone can do. 

Practicing these simple techniques has helped me with my panic/anxiety attacks and also helped me sleep better at night.

Final thoughts

Panic and anxiety attacks can ruin the quality of life. It affects your daily life and wrecks your relationships, leaving you in a constant state of depression. If you are a part of the millions of people who suffer from this condition, get help and reclaim your life.

I used the six steps that helped me overcome the worst of my attacks. It is not something that happens overnight. It is not easy for us to change the way we think and feel, but it is also not impossible.

I still worry every day for my son. I think that part would not stop unless we find a cure for epilepsy.

I follow these six steps every day, sometimes twice a day. With each day, it gets a little better:)

I hope you found this article helpful. Feel free to share it, and do not forget to subscribe so that you will be the first to get my solutions to all of your how-to questions.

Cheers!