You’re not gonna die!

Even though your mind is telling you it’s urgent and you need to get to the hospital immediately-

Nobody dies from panic attacks

Forewarned is forearmed:

Panic attacks are essentially a misfiring in your nervous system. They are similar to hiccups which come on unannounced and disappear on their own terms.

Panic attacks have a beginning, middle and end. They only last a finite amount of time. They will end. Despite how awful they feel when you’re having them, they’re not going to last forever. In fact the average panic attack lasts about 10 minutes. There is a sharp rise in anxious feelings, which rise to an uncomfortable height, they plateau, and then they slowly subside. Think of a roller coaster’s first big hill. The climb can seem never ending. Once you’re at the top the ride designers, sometimes tease you with a few moments of level movement before the cars drop down the first hill. Panic attacks can move in a similar fashion.

Watch how you talk to yourself. What you say to yourself during a panic attack can prolong and intensify the episode. While it can feel you don’t have much control over yourself during an attack, if you can start to change your language, you can begin to reduce the discomfort of this attack. Instead of :

“I’m gonna die” change it to “I feel like I’m gonna die, it’s hard to catch my breath and my heart is racing.”

It’s common for people to call out and narrate what your mind is saying - your words can alert those around you to what you need.

Hospital visit or No Hospital Visit

If this is your first experience with a panic attack - you probably don’t have a clue what is going on. It’s common for people to visit their nearest ER or Urgent Care. Typically hospital staff will assess you, hook you up to an EKG to make sure your heart is okay. Once your heart has been cleared as healthy and strong, and nothing else is out of balance, you now have information that confirms you had a panic attack. Then, in the future IF you have another panic attack you have experience knowing what it feels like and you know you don’t have to go to the hospital.

Other things that might get assessed are your thyroid hormone levels, you electrolyte levels, your hydration levels and maybe even your blood sugar levels. . All of these are things that can affect your likelihood of having another panic attack. Staying hydrated and keeping your blood sugar steady by eating protein at every meal, laying off the sugar, caffeine, alcohol and junk food can help as well.

Panic Is Here - Now what?

1. Label it for what it is. “I am having a panic attack.”

2. Now Breathe Easier said than done. If you have gum or a bottle of bubbles, pull these out and start blowing bubbles. If using soap bubbles, try to blow as many bubbles as you can from one dunk in the solution. Now try to blow a single big bubble. See if you can vary your number and size of bubbles.

3. Make Yourself Breathless Run up and down the stairs, do jumping jacks, run or march in place. See if you can elevate your heart rate. Yes this is counterintuitive - but most of us know that if we have exerted ourselves it is perfectly normal for our bodies to respond with rapid heart rate and quick breaths. This helps your body remember you’re not in danger and allows it to discharge the adrenaline and cortisol that are firing right now. As Emily and Amelia Nagoski talk about in their book Burnout it is important to complete the stress cycle and show your body that you are in fact safe. Words aren’t going to convince you, but your body will know- when you allow it to do what it needs to do - which is move.

4. Ask for company It’s much more comfortable to go through a panic attack with someone else present. It’s even better if they simply remind you that; they are there for you, you are not alone, and they will stay with you until the symptoms resolve. This is another symbol of safety that your body needs to come back into regulation. Having others are watch out for your wellbeing can help settle you. They don’t have to do anything other than be with you.

5. If needed: try EFT tapping or Progressive Muscle Relaxation. EFT tapping can be found on YouTube, a variety of websites and The tapping solution app. It teaches you a way to talk to yourself to release pent up emotions while simultaneously tapping on pressure points which can calm you down . Similarly, progressive muscle relaxation, is a time tested technique where you squeeze a muscle group tight, hold it, then release them. Start at you feet and ankles, then move to muscle groups up your legs, hips, abdomen, back, chest, shoulders, head and neck. The act of tensing and releasing, reminds your body that it can in fact relax and let go of tension that you might be carrying at any given moment, including during this panic attack. It also gives your mind something to focus on.

6. Try body based actions If you can, change your scenery, go outside, change your temperature, hold something solid or heavy, squeeze someones hand, get a drink of water, put an ice pack on the back of your neck, smell something pleasant.

7. Acceptance As much as its true that NO ONE wants to have a panic attack, the posture of acceptance in the form of “Oh, I’m having a panic attack. I know what to do, time to ride this out” makes it much more likely that you will return to baseline quickly. Resistance and telling yourself that you NEVER want to have a panic attack again, it’s the worst thing that could ever happen to you; is paradoxically a posture that makes it much more likely you will have another, or the one you’re having will become overwhelming. Your body believes what you tell it.

8. Know anxiety lies. Anxiety likes to scare you. It finds your worst case scenario and makes it seem like this is the only thing that is happening in your life. It’s not true. This too will pass.

9. Treat yourself By successfully getting through a panic attack, give yourself some much needed self care. Get a hug, take a nap, snuggle in a favorite blanket. Take a run, phone a friend, eat a nutritious meal (especially one with protein). Having a panic attack can take a lot out of you. It’s a great idea to be kind and gentle with yourself. Do something kind and then return to your regular life as soon as you can.