Panic Attack Help - Silly Tricks That Really Do Help
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I am not a medical professional. Any advice given is from my own personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Please seek a doctor if you are experiencing regular panic attacks. <3
A few years back I was driving my kids to a new park to explore. Packing a bag of snacks and loading all 3 kids up to go adventuring was nothing new, we’d been doing it for years.
But while driving to the park that day, my vision started blurring, my heart started racing, my chest was tight, my arms started tingling, I could barely breathe. I thought for sure I was having a heart attack. I had experienced a milder version of these symptoms before, been to the doctor for it, and was just told to rest. Good one doctors, I’ve got three kids by myself, are you going to get insurance to cover a house cleaning service???
Anyway, it was so bad that day I had to pull over. I closed my eye, blasted the air conditioning on me, tired to take deep breathes…nothing was working. So I had to have my, then, 14 year old, call 911. Have you ever had to have your kid call 911 for you? It feels terrible…how scary for him!
As the ambulance was pulling up, I had him call a neighbor, so she could come get them, assuming I was on my way to the hospital to have open heart surgery or something.
The paramedics helped me into the ambulance where they put me on oxygen and started checking my vitals. The verdict: A bad panic attack.
WTF???
I felt like I was dying! Just a panic attack?? And if that’s what I was having before, why didn’t any of the doctors tell me and get me some help???
This was my first realization that 1.) I needed to get on some medicine. And 2.) Panic attacks are some serious bullshit that are misunderstood and need to be talked about more.
I kind of had the understanding before this diagnosis, that panic attacks were from overthinking about a situation, and letting anxiety get carried away.
What I now know, in my experience at least, is that your body just does this shit sometimes. Years and layers of unresolved emotions and traumas have left my body in a constant fight or flight state, and the smallest stresser, or bit of nervousness sends it into a full blown panic attack, for what feels like, no reason.
Here’s some ways I have found to help lesson or completely stop a panic attack, when I start having one:
1.) Drink carbonated water.
I know this sounds stupid, and there is absolutely zero scientific anything behind this, but when it feels like your throat is closing up, the burn from the bubbles gives some relief as it goes down.
2.) Take a deep breath into your lungs and hold it as long as you can, at least until the count of 5. Slowly let it out and repeat a few more times.
3.) Find something cold. Putting something cold on a high blood flow part of your body (neck, wrist, etc..) has a calming effect on your entire body. Sometimes having an ice pack on my chest helps too.
4.) Go outside. Just sitting outside in some fresh air for a couple minutes can make the world of difference.
5.) If none of these work, or you don’t have access to them, take medicine. Do not be afraid to take some medication! I fought it for years thinking I could just work thru everything by myself. Thinking about having to take medicine made me feel weak and like a failure. Now I know, trying to fight it on my own was a waste of time. All the hours I spent paralized by an anxiety attack I couldn’t get under control, could have been avoided if I would have just taken some medicine.
Everyone’s experiences with panic attacks are different. But what I’ve come to the conclusion is, for me at least, is that they are a way of my body screaming for relief. Begging for me to feel and work thru and heal the baggage I’ve been carrying with me for so many years.
I’ve linked some related posts below, of different ways I’ve been healing myself and reclaiming my worthiness as a human instead of being a doormat/punching bag. Whatever ways help you and your body work thru trauma are both sacred and hard. Please do them safely, with professional help if needed.
AND tell us about them in the comments below! What has helped you heal and grow might help someone else too!
You are loved, so very much!
Love, Haley
If you found this post helpful, find more Self-care tips in my 1st book Self-care Beyond Bubble Baths - Out of the box ideas to calm your mind and increase your self worth. I promise you wont regret it. I mean, worst case scenario you accidentally love yourself a little more.
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