Anxiety Attacks
For years, I've been dealing with anxiety attacks. Lately, they've been more intense and constant. I need better ways to get through them...
Try to laugh, I know it's hard, but sometimes it really helps remembering funny things, laugh is the enemy of fear :)
Hi @princesspikeru
The techniques that I use for managing panic attacks all relate to slowing down my brain. Things like pulling all of the books out of a book case and putting them back in one by one in order of Author's name. Going into a section of garden and pulling out each weed one by one. Ordering the food cans in my cupboard in order of colour.
I don't know if they'll work for you but they work for me. Other resources for panic attacks can be found in the following forum thread:
Unless you are like me and extremely Manic,.. it is probably best not to laugh outside of natural reaction..lol. Because then it becomes a cop out reaction to every stressful situation and that can become awkward and inappropriate. And that makes social anxieties worsen as well, Just a thought.
I've found that breathing excercisesare really helpful for calming me down when I'm panicking. The one I find the most helpful is breathing in for three counts, holding it for four counts, and breathing out for three counts. If I can focusing on slowing my breathing and just counting the numbers it can sometimes break the cycle of panic that my brain is going through.
Other than that I find yoga and mediation to be really helpful, and there are a lot of resources for those things online.
What kinds of things have you tried? What HASN'T worked?
Have you found anything that works for you sometimes but not others?
Hi @princesspikeru.
Thank you for your post. Managing panic attacks are different for each person. The examples of help that people posted are all great, and worth a try. I like to use mindful meditation to help relax, but find that it is not that easy to focus when I am having a full blown panic attack. When it get's really bad for me I tend to use distraction. Similar to what @Roadie has posted, but I do jigsaw puzzles. That allows my brain to focus on one task, and that would be finding the pieces that fit. Once my brain has slowed a bit, I use postive self affirmations. For example: "I am going to be ok, It was just a panic attack". Eventually it gets easier. You will find that different things work better for you. Once you find something stick with it. Remember to breathe, and that everything will be okay.
I have been dealing with panic attacks since I was in the 8th grade, I have developed anxiety and social anxiety as well within the last 3 years. Some days are worse that others and some days are better. However I have found a way to cope and control my anxiety and panic attacks at least to a certain extent. And although I am not 100 percent cured It has helped me out tremendously and I am starting to get ahold of myself.
I hope this helps somebody out there out because it is something I have wished I could change for nearly 10 years.
Take a look at anxiousreview.com
It is an excellent read and was very helpful to me :)
I have seals for my behavior. In silent and by self then, back at home, can let loose and do whatever to appease the churning feelings of internal replay afterwards. When I was younger, I tore things - and then tidied up after, lol. Unfortunately I was also less of an extrovert and more quiet then...
I have it a tad easier being a naturally, blankly emotional person. A girl I talked to on here had her therapist recommend looking at things from a bird's eye point of view. I remember my own counselor asking if I saw things "outside of myself" (like a ghost?). Maybe that could be something to try too.
There is just one thing. Like a book and a re-read cliche, too many things tried and seen others had work for them - They didn't work for me. And probably because I knew it was supposed to and had my expectations up too high. Or something. One reason or another, they didn't work, my mind and body rejected the ideal and each time it got worse because my "options" were supposedly running out. While everybody else was becoming 'normal' or was, I was tripping flat on my face and everybody could see it that much clearer. They still can. Those moments which actually feel like a trip now - Sudden, unstoppable. Instead of 24/7.
The seal method is unique to me, at least to my knowledge and like learning, learning to cope is a process for the individual. Your ways won't necessary overlap with another. Just because the world isn't your oyster, doesn't mean you can't make it yours still. Just because what everybody else can do and you can't, doesn't mean you never will. Keep trying, you'll get there somewhat if not entirely. Don't give up. It won't be okay always and never completely but it can be better. Or maybe you can be 'cured' that completely. Can't give up that possibility either! Share when something works that well, kay. Lol.
Some need just a reminder, others need a technique or some other force in place. Yet some others, need whatever it is causing the anxiety to be reevaluated, given release or go away. All prayers for you.
@imaginativeDrum, I was reading your post and suddenly I realized I was doing your 'seal method' for years instinctively. I just never thought about it as a coping mechanism .-.
When I was younger I'd use a ring, a bracelet or a necklace. And now I'm saying a certain word which is a cue for me to just stop and move on. It's working just the way you described it.
It's a behavioral thing, like with Pavlov's dogs ^^ I just trained myself to bottle my emotions up for this particular moment.
Ahahaha, yay for random realisations on the internets? Better yet, a community like this one where you find an unsuspecting twin of the soul. At some level anyway. I expect like liking things, having tendencies or lifestyles is also a part of personality. And nothing ever being coincidental as we are only painfully simple, organ constructs. Okay, enough philosophy, had too much homework.
Maybe everybody has such methods actually. Each of them giving their method a different name. Because words are just words given meaning by those who utlize-- Uh. *stops*
Since I'm actually not sure what my "method" really is or what it entails, as someone who subconsciously used such for so long- What uhm, have you got to say about it? Oh dear, that's worded so harsh. Anyhow, I was presumptuous enough to think it was just my own special way but now that there is someone else out there, the question rears one curious head.
What is it? And how does it work for you? And now, after you've realised? By the way, very nice to meet you, lol.
@imaginativeDrum, It's nice to meet you, too! Twin of the soul - I like that phrase ^^ Finding out that we are not alone with experiencing certain things is very comforting for me and I'm glad we have this community for such treasure hunting.
I very recently realized I have such coping technique, so I don't posses any deep answers ^^; I feel a bit silly sharing my method with you, because I think it's goofy, but what the heck! I should just state that I don't experience panic attacks, only anxiety ones.
So when I'm starting to recognize any anxious symptoms (mine include heavy knot in a stomach, shallow breathing, inability to move, staring into space, irritation, racing thoughts), I will say to myself "Spock". Yep, as that character from Star Trek ^^; You see, I love original Star Trek and at some point in my life I've started to tell myself to "spock out" - to stop feeling, and thinking for a short time, and just behave automatically. It's a form of shutting down which helps me to break out from the anxiety cycle because if I'm not thinking, and over-analayzing, and feeling overwhelmed by everything, it's harder to bring me down. I use it as a command for my own brain, and as I stated earlier, I just trained myself to react it. It's not 100% bulletproof, but it helped me many times already, and I consider it a useful coping method.
As you said yourself, I'm also not very certain of how it works. I don't think it can be effective for everyone, in my view it more depends on a person and their own experience with anxiety. What about you, @imaginativeDrum, if you don't mind me asking? What do you think of this?
Treasure is certainly, in the words of a new friend, one way to put it. X)
I think you thinking yourself is silly is silly. How can you possibly think something you desperately have used for so long without knowing it to cope, be silly? It's like saying the difference of guy who cruises through life after picking up worries, accepting them and moving on and the guy who doesn't. Neither are lesser humans but it would be a lie to deny the first is not greater then the second. If only, if only, lol.
It's probably only goofy in that it came into existence because of, or revolves around someone supposedly imaginary. People are only also ideas, if they exist in thought, they probably exist somewhere out there or can. That said, your focus is no less silly than those who spend millions (over time) for celebrities and well-liked persons and things alike. Why does one look down on people, albeit fictional influences when they don't (quite) look down on hobbies? Nobody would say anything if you "spocked out" due to calculating maths for example. Or fell asleep doing so either. :D
Yesyesyes to the stop and shutting down and commanding. Hahaha. Oh lordie, what similarity! Though again, I have an easier and harder time explaining because being blank has naturally and unwittingly happened as long as I can remember. Sometimes not so wittingly but yunno :pp Anxiety leaks itself into every part of life and there's nothing to do but surrender, let it take us under and asunder or.. At least in our case, bring out the hamfisted cuffs. Wish more people understood the earlier. Or empathized at a deeper level. Or, dunno, just knew? Wishes and fishes.
I too believe that it takes a certain sort of personality, as it takes to respond in certain ways, to respond or react to anxiety. By extension, the methods to cope with it. That's about it. "I concur.", lol. Huh, wonder what that says about us. Self-sadism? XD
I've kinda bleed myself into the page/forums at this point so no, I don't mind you asking at all. Hope you don't mind my keeping you around for the chitchat.
@imaginativeDrum, I personally don't mind you kept around ^^ I'm glad. I like that we have a space here to stay longer a bit in each other's company, to support and brainstorm ideas.
Thank you for your understanding. I really like reading your responses, I can see you're the funny one ^^ I still feel a bit silly about it, but not ashamed. At the beginning I was a bit withdrawn, because I never told anyone about it. But I guess everything what works for us, and doesn't include harming living beings, should be a reason to be proud of ourselves. We are trying to cope and such fights are honorable.
I think that in order to our method (can we patent it? ^^) to work you need to believe that you can break the cycle + "the command" must be link with something specific and material. I don't think if I could manage it with something abstract, like emotion(?). And, the most important, you must never break a rule to follow it. It works until you are willing to work, if that makes sense.
I hope you have a lovely day/evening/dreams. Hugs!
@imaginativeDrum
How does your seal method work?
Depends. A necklace, bracelet,person, place, personality or face - Any one of these can be a reminder to "bottle or forget until the after". Basically as long as any or all are on, there is forbiddance to do this, act like this, feel this, etc.
In other words, my method is to smother, to forget and ignore via visual reminder. Well, more like a charm. I don't really see the face I wear or the necklace on my neck until it swings in front or starts to bleed cold onto my back. It's just a mindset - Not sure how to to describe it. Not so much hypnosis as self discipline. Rules to not break.
And I guess because I haven't thought about what happens after the vow(?) has been broken, is why it works so well? X) Again, this is a method which is probably bullocks to anybody else. Or more damn obvious that doesn't work. But I thought to share because I live this way and it works for me. Ideas spring from other ideas? I'm sorry if I confused.
@imaginativeDrum
I can understand that in fact. I had a system that I used to use for automatic thoughts which was clicking my fingers. If one popped into my head then I clicked my fingers which was an audible cue to shut it off. It ironically worked so I can understand what you're saying there :)
Lol, yep. Glad it makes sense to someone lol. Thought was just spewing paragraphs of abstract to the ether again X)
Well, one thing I'm not sure about with your example - Do you not feel overwhelmed with such a prominent reminder in plain sight? What - Oh wait no. I have a minor version of what you described too! Lol.
So, reading reading reading something or rather on the nets, in books, on tv, etc. Then a really childish thought hits the head. Or one with a seriously one-sided view. You know those ones. "Wow I am shallow as [censored]." With two fingers. push the forehead way far back until it snaps back forward. Okay, that sounds less lethal than it is, lol. Or vice versa. Words getting jumbled while procrastinating, serve me right.
That's probably also how quotes and mantras work: "It's okay, tomorrow is a newer day." Can only think of pure pressure if imagining a seal dangling in my face 24/7: "Don't do this, don't do this, don't do this, don't DO this. Don't do THIS." Whoa. X)
The thing that always helps me is going out for a drive. There are times i will just go on the highway and drive, all windows down, music blasting. You can sing, scream, cry, shout. I feel like my driving away from all my troubles when i do this.
I notice that I suffer from anxiety attacks on occasions and it's often while I'm driving that it builds. A technique that I use is reading number plates. I'm a number-smith so I take the digits from number plates that I see and I multiply them together to get an answer. A few minutes of that and my mind is back under control.
The point to all of this is that you can come up with any number of techniques for getting through an attack with a bit of creativity. Those things that are around you are assets that you can use. Don't forget that.
On a secondary note, focusing on your anxiety can make your anxiety worse but that doesn't mean that you should ignore your triggers and ignore the signs of an attack. Keep an eye on yourself and know your signs to look after yourself.
There is something called rescue remedie it's a really good natural spray that helps a lot with anxiety and panic it helps people everyday I'm going to give it a try
I have that here for my girls. Whether it truly works or is psychosomatic, I'm not sure. But it helps in some way :)
hi! when i am in a bad case of anxiety i think to myself that soon it will be over and if it doesn t help i ll usually close my eyes and think of something nice and good, something that can calm me down like the ocean, the sky or even a color that i like...
it has literally helped me in the most stressfull times so i hope it will help you xx
