How can you deal with panic attacks without medication?

Abdominal breathing helps. So does guided visualization and progressive muscle relaxation helps too. So does calming music. One non-medication based intervention that evidence has shown to NOT be effective (but still is widely used) is EMDR (eye-movement desensitization and processing), so please don't waste your time on that.

Graded desensitization to panic-provoking stimuli under the care and guidance of a therapist can also be helpful if your panic attacks are provoked by specific, or trauma-based triggers.

I'll also say that while the old standard medications to treat panic attacks, i.e. benzodiazapineshave side-effects that produce cognitive impairments and addiction, other medications exist that have no such side effects, and treat specific symptoms. Heart palpitations can be treated with beta-blockers. And buspar, while often deemed not very effective, does not have significant side-effects that benzos and anti-depressants have.

Hope this helps. Cheers!

Really helps. Thank you so much.

Good point. Even small distractions can help a great deal.

I'm getting my panic attacks more at night. They wake me up from dead sleep. It is the most horrible thing. The bad part is that I don't know what causes them.

I get panic attacks in my sleep, too, but they told me mine are cause by nightmares Imunaware of having, that cause me to panic, maybe, you could have a similar issue. Maybe not

This is how my panic attacks started as well. Now I get them during the day more often. Medication helped calm my night terrors.

Talking to the people around you and making sure that you are fully comfortable with the people you share your information with helped me. I found breathing techniques helpful but found that reviewing my thoughts as they happened and putting them into perspective during and after the panic kept them decreasing. for example -Everyone is staring at me - are they really? are they doing it out of compassion and care? are they trying to help but unsure? etc. It really helped me!As well as this i also use simple repetitive things to bring me down from the panic, such as reciting the alphabet, my address, my phone number. after a few times aloud, i managed to do it inside my head. Hope this helps!

That's an amazing way to help with panic attacks, darling. It's great to think about the positive when going through something like that. Great suggestion!

Hi do you know if you are hyperventilating? If you find you are breathing fast as if you cannot get enough air, cover your mouth with your hand and try to only breathe what you have breathed out. If you can breathe into and out of a paper bag this can work even better.
Do you know which situations/people set off panic attacks? It may help to keep a journal of your panic attacks to see if you can find what triggers them so as you can deal with the root of the problems. Look for common threads you may find they are caused by someone/something that you are not aware of or considered.

Meditation, tie chi, yoga can all help with stress levels.

Stay Strong!

In the past I have been on Xanax for when they get really awful but I always just get someone to take me out of the situation I'm in and talk to me non stop until I've calmed down enough and got my breathing under control.

My best friend has me do 7 count breathing. 7counts in. Hold for 7 counts. Out for 7 counts. And hold for 7 counts. I do it until I calm down and you have to do it while sitting.

I suffer from panic attacks myself and I have noticed that the breathing exercises help. I also began experimenting with lavender essential oil. But this is for if you are open to trying a solution that does not include medication. I started using it because I have recently spoken with a family friendwho uses it for attacks that are far worse and occur more often than mine. She says it has changed her life. She places it on her pulse points, over her heart, and take it aromaticallyand says it helps.

I always find that if the attack happens away from home, as soon as I get into my bed or shower I will calm down. If I'm at home, I always go for a walk, do a crossword puzzle, watch a funny TV show or imagine being in a faraway land where if I were to become anxious it would be a waste of a perfectly good vacation, you know? But yes it is VERY hard to execute any pre-planned anxiety reliever but you can always tell yourself it will be over in 20 minutes!

I find that distractions work really well and it might be something as simple a focusingon breathing (4 seconds in and 7 seconds out) or just looking around and taking notice of things around you (saying them out loud seems to help too) like oh there's a tree there, there's snow on it... and so on. Just dropping what you're doing (if you can) and moving on to something else is good too because it helps you change your focus. I know this isn't the most complicated thing but like I said I've found that this helps me and hopefully it can help someone else too :) <3

Once I had a severe panic attack while leaving job orientation. I called the Maine State Crisis Line and have been using one of the breathing techniques they taught me in subsequent instances without being able to get to my meds.

Breathe in for five seconds, hold it, breathe out for five.

In through nose, out through mouth.

I've also found sipping water and getting someplace with less/no people helps at work as I sip it.

A service dog! I work in animal rescue and you can adopt a retired police German Shepherd who will learn fast! Mine learned a command called 'lap up' where is sits in my lap and presses his body to mine and takes slow deep breaths until my breathing matches his. AND you can teach the dog this yourself very easily. A service dog does NOT need to be certified. All you need is something from your doctor stating you could benefit from the use of a service dog. I is illegal for people to ask you what your dog is for and what he/she is trained to do. If you can't train one yourself hire a local one on one dog trainer. It is cheaper thn buying a dog bred specifically for this, and there are already so many homeless working class breeds who would love to help you.

I think mostly everyone has said the same things that I do for panic attacks and anxiety..

Doing diaphragmatic breathing for about 10-20 minutes a day really helps. When you do it consistently, it will start to kick in when your body feels that you are starting to get anxious.

I think most people have panic attacks more when they are alone. I have seen this a lot over the years. People will say they have panic attacks at night or in the afternoon. Those seem to be times when people can be the most alone, including me.

So for me, it helps to text or call my friends if it's not too late. Having a good support system of people can be so beneficial. Or a few hours before bed, I will watch my favorite movie, or look for a new one that looks interesting (nothing scary or traumatizing). If not that, then I'll read a book or listen to soft music.

I can usually feel a panic attack coming on. One trick I learned is to yell STOP! STOP! STOP! in my head. After all, it's the racing thoughts that bring can bring on panic attacks. All the oh no's, what ifs, why did that happen?, why is this happening?, what's going to happen? thoughts are what starts it for me along with physical symptoms that appear. (Though the triggers can be different for everyone). So saying something like that in your head or even out loud helps block those thoughts for a moment. At least, that's my experience.

I appreciate this a lot.

After dealing with it for sometime i found one of the most basic things can control it, my breathing would become uneasy and harder as it would happen, so i learned to keep breathing in control which ended up helping overall with the process. Breathing in the nose and out the mouth was the most ideal. Adding counting even helped more to, more instructions the more things you can distract your mind with to get back in control.

When I get panicky i always find using a scrunchie or hairband and flicking it against your wrist helps calm me down. It is a great distraction.:)

I should try that

This helps alot, thanks sweetheart!

I attended a breathing physiotherapist as I was suffering panic attacks which I would mistake for asthma attacks.

My breathing physio suggested a breathing technique that could help.

When you feel that your panic attack is influencing your breathing it is not advisable to breathe into a brown paper bag as sometimes the site of the bag in front of your face can cause even more panic. She suggested that cupping your hands together and placing them over your nose and mouth, gently breathing in and out can really help.

I dealt with panic attacks without any medication or therapy for a very long time. I was a teen and my parents picked on me when I asked them to go to therapy. The thing is I overcame my fear and found the secret. You have to be very brave and hold on. you are not going to die, it's impossible, so the best advice is never stop trying. Also never stop doing the things you want to do, don't avoid the panic attacks. Even if its not safe and everyone will see and it will be the worst day of your life. It has to happen, otherwise you will never get through it. This is how i did it without therapy, medication and any parental support at the age of 16. Of course i recommend you to see a doctor but you can make it if you are brave.

For me, meditation and listening to noise machines has always helped distract me while i am having a panic attack

Hi, one thing that really helps me is breathing on for 7 and out for 11 and adjusting my counting for my breathing. As time goes by my counting ends up slowing down due to the calming effects of the counting. This also helps when j feel a panic attack coming on.

Affirmations and self-hyponisis may help. Recording a script for panic attack with affirmations in own voice and playing it when we have an attack, helps. Hypnosis can't be used while driving. But regular hypnosis sessions can reduce panic attacks. Also, some good anxiety apps are there. I am using SAM android app. We can create a tool kit for emergency with it and simple steps given there. Like reading a simple message, 'panic will go, anxiety is natural process and won't last.' That helps. We can decide what works best for ourselves with experience.

I found that when i feel one comingon, (or what i would call 'small ones', small ones lead to big ones and are what my doc refers to asme panicing in anticipation of a panic attack which i probably am inducing by having the small ones, endless cycle :/ ) but as im having a small one and i can feel the pressure starting to build, i shove my hand up my top, and rest it over my heart, close my eyes and feel both my heartbeat and my chest rising and falling as i breath. dont know if it would work for anyone else but it helps anchor me...

i practice mindfulness, i find when i panic i lose sense of myself, i leave reality if you will. i count 5 things i can see, hear, smell, and feel (non emotion) eg the floor under my feet. and i repeat untill im back and centered.

It's not always possible, but the best thing for me is to find my dog, curl up with her, and go to sleep. Even if I can't sleep, hiding under the covers for a little while and concentrating on trying to fall asleep helps a lot.

@anniebananie94 This used to work for me. But now my mind just focuses more on the panic.

There are many different exercises to prevent anxiety attacks without the use of medication! Here are a few!

1.) Grounding

- Look around you.
- Find 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.

This helps you feel less disconnected from reality and become aware of things besides your own thoughts.

2.)Acceptance

When you're having an anxiety attack

- Accept that you are having an anxiety attack.

- Jot down the symptoms that you're feelingand thoughts you're having

Writing down what you're experiencing can help prevent you from imagining the worst.

3.)Breathing and relaxing

- Instead of shallow chest breaths, do deep belly breaths in through your nose and out of your mouth (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg9XYicHqKo)

- Deliberately tighten (for 5+ seconds) and then loosen muscles that feel tense during an anxiety attack

4.)Speak aloud to yourself

-Remind yourself aloud that the attack will end, and it won't kill you or cause you to faint.

Hey Everyone,

I just thought that i should share what really works well for me, and other who have tried it.

Self-hypnosis is a fascinating idea, but it's highly unlikely it has any effect beyond a placebo. There is simply no real proof that it should have any effect on your overall mental health. Take myanxiety testto learn more about other potential non-medicinal anxiety treatments.

But in this article, we'll explore the idea of self-hypnosis from the perspective of those that believe in it. One thing that is true about this type of treatment - there is certainly no harm in trying it, provided that you're willing to try other treatments if it doesn't work.

What is Self-Hypnosis?

Self-hypnosis is the act of hypnotizing oneself, using words to control the mind in a way that stops anxiety. Self hypnosis can be accomplished in many ways, but is consistently based upon the principle trying to change the beliefs and mental associations that cause you to think and act the way you do. Because anxiety disorders often occur due in part to a person's negative associations or negative beliefs around particular situations, settings or objects, self-hypnosis in its various forms could conceivably be a useful tool for controlling them, and thus controlling anxiety.

You may wonder, how can talking to myself or visualizing certain things change the way my mind works? And if it can, why do anxiety medications exist?

How Self Hypnosis Works

Your brain is the most powerful organ in your body. Almost everything that makes you, you is stored there, including the fears, paranoia and negative thought spirals that can result in anxiety. What you believe, and the feelings you associate with different aspects of the world around you, are big influences on your behavior, and if you can change them your behavior is likely to change accordingly. This is what hypnosis is designed to do.

Self-hypnosis uses the power of words to alter those thoughts so that you can regain control of your reactions to life. For example, imagine you had an irrational fear of spiders. Using self-hypnosis, you would alter your associations so that your mind doesn't experience fear when you think of spiders or see spiders, all through words that manipulate your own brain into thinking differently than it did previously.

Over time, your brain is essentially re-wired to connect certain stimuli with positive, relaxed feelings rather than negative, anxious ones. The amygdalae, twin almond shaped clusters of neurons in your brain, play a fundamental role in this process and also in your anxiety, as the part of your brain responsible for storing memories based on the strength of the emotional states connected with them and triggering reactions to stimuli based on those associations.

The following section will discuss the basics of performing self hypnosis on yourself, as well as several possible variations to try.

Variations of Self Hypnosis for Anxiety

When you do self hypnosis, the idea is to create beliefs and associations that you will carry with you out into the world. However, it is supposed to take a few sessions before your mind becomes accustomed to its new settings. If you are going to try self-hypnosis, then it is a good idea to perform self hypnosis regularly until it becomes easier for you to access positive states.

In order to access your subconscious mind, sit down or lie down in a comfortable position somewhere you will not be disturbed. Look around you and tell yourself three things about your environment that are true (for example, I am sitting on a chair, I see a desk next to me, and I can hear a dog barking). This will prepare your subconscious mind to accept the things you say as true. Then close your eyes and concentrate on relaxing your body, one part at a time. Playing soothing music may help you to also relax your mind as you do this. Once you are completely relaxed, you are ready to do one or all of the following things:

Create an Anchor Point:

An anchor point is a point on your body that you can touch to trigger calm, relaxed feelings. Ideally it will be somewhere you can reach easily, such as your hand or your arm. To create an anchor point, think of the place or the person who makes you feel the most relaxed and then imagine yourself there or with them. Concentrate on how calm and comfortable you feel and then touch your chosen anchor point, while describing to yourself (preferably aloud, but in a soothing a voice, as though you are talking to a child) how relaxed and comfortable you are, and that after you count backwards from ten to zero, any time you wish to re-enter this state of relaxation, all you have to do is touch this anchor point. Once you have done this, count backwards from 10 and open your eyes.

Alter Your Associations:

Once you have achieved a state of mental and physical relaxation, you can start to build new associations with the triggers of your anxiety. Imagine the situation, setting or object that usually triggers your anxiety, and then add something to the scenario, place or object that makes it funny, rather than disturbing. For example, if you are afraid of spiders, picture a spider. Then change the picture of the spider in your head until it doesn't frighten you anymore. For example, give it a hat, make it rainbow-colored, or have it do a tap-dance to a funny song. The point of this exercise is to get you to associate a relaxed state of mind with the object of your anxiety rather than a tense state of mind. Do this until you can picture the object of your anxiety and feel an automatic positive reaction.

Identify and Replace Unhelpful Beliefs:

Writing about your anxieties in a journal beforehand may help you to figure out what beliefs you have that are holding you back. For example, I'm not safe in public or other people are always thinking negative things about me. Once you identify these beliefs, think about what else you believe that might be more useful and positive. For example, I know how to protect myself, and I think positive things about others so they probably think positive things about me too. Then, once you have chosen new and more useful beliefs for your mind to jump to, vividly imagine the situations that usually bring the unhelpful beliefs to mind and think about your positive belief instead. Focus on the belief and the happy feelings associated with it until you feel calm while imagining the situation, or until another unhelpful belief crops up in your mind that you can replace with a better one.

Listen To A Recording:

Write out a list of positive affirmations to replace the negative beliefs in your mind. Once you have a reasonably long list, record yourself saying it and play it for yourself at least once every day. Speak gently and reassuringly, as though you are speaking to a child. The ends of your sentences should sound definite and decisive, rather than going up at the end like questions (i.e., I am in control of my body. As opposed to I am in control of my body?). Don't use negative phrases like I won't feel anxious or I won't hyperventilate. Instead, use positive phrases such as I will feel calm, confident and collected and I will breathe evenly and easily.

Doing one or all of these self hypnosis exercises on a regular basis is meant to make you feel better about the things that used to make you anxious, and also of putting you in a generally more positive and tranquil frame of mind.

Here are some relaxation techniques that can help with panic attacks and anxiety. Good luck!

Deep Breathing Exercises:
https://youtu.be/8-_NNCrrdus
https://youtu.be/jCSxggIjVwU
https://youtu.be/wBPnBndBS4A

Diaphragmatic Breathing
https://youtu.be/_7ySGgAFAAo

Relaxation Youtube video:
https://youtu.be/HFwCKKa--18

Guided Imagery video:
https://youtu.be/1iRd45dirYk

Deep Muscle Relaxation:
https://youtu.be/HFwCKKa--18

Guided Meditations:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrx1vyvtRLY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye8CF8A7r_4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPni755-Krg

Relaxing Sounds and Music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvME_EylPXU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7-H8_7Ck6k

https://www.youtube.com/watchv=MNJDn8VcZ9Q

https://www.youtube.com/watchv=EeZHNmtBvDI

Nature sounds/Running water-
https://www.youtube.com/watchv=gmar4gh5nIw

Thunderstorm/Rain:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el93AooFrgg

http://www.calm.com
Click on the clock and select the 10 minute option.

I honestly find that coming on 7 cups and seeing that other people are in a similar situation as me and reminding myself it isn't anything dangerous and will be over soon really helps. I also find guided meditation helps and distractions such as writing in a journal or painting. Also sometimes o get so upset I just say to myself 'Okay, I'm having a panic attack. Bring on the worst and I am sick of it.' And I find nothing happens and I start feeling calmer.

@crimsonVillage526 that's exactly what I do, and it really helps. I get panic attacks to where I fain't or have a seizure, and coming on here talking to people who experience panic attacks as well helps me calm down. the same with the painting !

I find an anxiety journal helps to see when anxiety hits and what the triggers are (or to learn what they are) and how long they last. It is also great for learning new coping skills and figuring out what works best. The mindfulness exercises here at 7 cup are extremely helpful and so are the self help guides.

Deep Breathing:

- Focus on your breathing

- Breathe in for 5 seconds

- Hold it for 6 seconds

- Breathe out for 7 seconds

- Keep repeating this until you feel calmer

@Laura

@Sarra

Smart :)

Great list

Thank you! <3

I might add a few other things that my listener taught me, in a bit! :)

@Laura