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How To Cope With Panic Attacks
piercetheaiden August 22nd, 2018
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1. Leave the situation

- If you feel unsafe where you currently are, move to a safe place

2. Ground Yourself

Some Grounding Exercises:

- Look around for 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.

- Take ten slow breaths. Focus your attention fully on each breath, on the way in and on the way out. Say number of the breath to yourself as you exhale.

- Get up and walk around. Take your time to notice each step as you take one, then another.

3. Practice mindfulness

- You can use apps like Headspace or Pacifica. There are also mindfulness tracks on 7cups which can be found here: https://www.7cups.com/exercises/mindfulness/?showlist=1

4. Picture a safe and happy place

- Picture what the place looks like. Where is located? What is unique about this place?

5. Exercise

- Only exercise when you feel like you are able to breathe

- Try a light exercise such as doing a couple jumping jacks or going on a walk around your neighborhood

6. Seek professional help

- If panic attacks are frequent/severe, seek medical attention

2
Hope1342 August 23rd, 2018
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@piercetheaiden

These tips are excellent. I have a few to add that have worked in my experience!

1. Limit sensory input. Sometimes closing your eyes helps! As someone with synesthesia who is very prone to sensory overload, I find that if Im panicking, it often helps to find a quiet place. Close your eyes if possible.

2. Have someone sit through it with you- even just a hand on your shoulder ir a person at the other end of the phone can help. If theres someone you trust to do this, Ive found this really helps.

3. Sometimes my attacks come on slowly, building up. Other times they come on without warning. If you can recognize the signs of a building panic attack, do some grounding/mindfulness/deep breathing/etc.

Lots of love and support! Good luck!

Yukihiko August 23rd, 2018
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@piercetheaiden

Woah! This is so informative. Thank you for writing this!! I hope that this thread is helpful to others too!

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