What can I do when I am feeling in the verge of a panic attack at school?
21 Answers
Last Updated: 09/30/2019 at 9:20pm
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Alex DS Ellis, MA, LMFT
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Top Rated Answers
I know this is hard, but there are many options you can take:
At college I ask my teachers to leave the classroom because they both know I suffer from anxiety. That's when it gets really bad though, as I understand this can cause a scene and not help.
Remove yourself from any stressful situation
If you can, go outside and get some fresh air, and breathe in through your nose deeply, and exhale through your mouth. Count your breaths to 4 and focus on your breathing.
If any thoughts of anxiety come into your mind, calmly ask them to leave, and continue on your breathing. This will relax your body, lower your heart rate and keep you refreshed.
Try to remember, it's normal. Your body is preparing for a 'fight or flight'. Meaning, it heightens it senses, adrenaline is rushed all around your body, making you shake, feel your heart pound and all the other symptoms you know. It's just your body heightening its senses :) I hope I could help, It helps me!
If possible, excuse yourself class so that you won't create a scene in front of other people and/or feel embarrassed. Try to figure out what is causing you anxiety; if you know what is causing you anxiety, remind yourself that you will be OK (and the physiological symptoms will pass with time), and try to separate yourself from the source of the anxiety. When you have a moment to relax or step away from everything, come up with an action plan for how you can deal with anxiety or panic attacks in the future: ways you can de-stress in general, ways you can make yourself feel better so that external factors don't affect you as deeply, and ways that you can manage the situation outside of class. If you have an in-class issue that needs to be dealt with, handle the subject directly and seek help and advice from anyone involved. Tell yourself that it's OK for show weakness or not be perfect; it's OK to not be the best, and it's OK to ask for help.
Anonymous
August 11th, 2015 12:10pm
I would make an arrangement with your teachers that allows you to leave the situation. I find that removing myself from other people helps. finding a quiet place with low lighting so that it isn't very stimulating. then i would concentrate on your breathing. taking deep and slow breaths
Anonymous
April 7th, 2015 10:27pm
when i feel on the verge of a panic attack, i ask to go to the bathroom and text my best friend to come out and i just let it out. having a friend comfort you is probably the best thing. or if i can't seem to excuse myself from class, i talk to the teacher that i'm having a rough day and go for a walk in the hallway.
Sometimes being around a large crowd and your flustered can cause panic attacks. Try go outside or to the bathroom and go into a stall. Take a deep breath (or not, depending on the bathroom state, lol) But give yourself that alone time to gather your thoughts.
When you're at school, it is hard to be in a comfortable place most of the time. If you're in class, ask if you can be excused and, if so, then go to the nurse and tell her about what you are feeling. Don't worry about feeling uncomfortable because the nurse will totally do everything he/she can to give you the help you need. And also, he/she will probably direct you to a counselor to help you out with emotional distress.
Ask to be excused by a teacher or have them know you get them a lot. If you can't do that holding your breath can help slow your heart beat. Visualising the panic helps to, give it a shape, colour and general abstract features and follow its movement with you mind and it should go down (this works with physical pain to) breathing exercises help to,
Anonymous
April 23rd, 2018 5:13pm
Take deep breaths, go to the washroom and try to relax. Listen to soothing music, take a walk around if possible. In case you need help, talk to your friend or if there's a school councillor talk to them. (:
Different people respond to very different methods of coping mechanisms. The most consistent ones however are taking deep breaths, focusing on the smaller things such as the feeling of your feet on the floor, and counting slowly until you begin to feel calm again.
I would recommend telling teachers of your panic attacks though, there is no shame in it and they may be able to help you more if they're informed.
Leave the classroom and get some fresh air, its not good to be in a stressful enviroment, and when you leave after you can explain the situation to a teacher who will most likely be okay with you leaving, it doesnt make you any less of a person to be in these positions, so dont worry if you are feeling like this just politely excuse your self and get into an open area and take a break for awhile, there is no shame in it so dont worry about it, good luck and i hope that this helped you in some way
Think about school things. Read a book or ask your teacher a question. Anything to just forget about your anxiety. Books are a great way to zone out and forget everything.
I used to get panic attacks during lessons. I would grip the edge of my desk because I felt that I couldn't breathe. At school, the pressure not to show any outward signs can make a panic attack worse. My advice would be if possible to try and seek out a place where you can be by yourself to try and calm down. Tell your friends so they can support you. If you feel safe, you could also tell teachers/school administrators or a school counselor if you have those available.
Anonymous
January 2nd, 2018 9:56am
Get yourself to a quiet place. The office would be best and you could also call a parent. Find five things you see, four things you feel, three things you hear, two things you smell, and one thing you taste. This is grounding and helps with my anxiety all the time.
Anonymous
October 10th, 2016 6:01pm
I empathise that panic attacks can be very scary, especially in public places. Try to ground yourself. This includes finding things in your environment such as a smell, taste, an image or a sound that you can focus on. This should begin to calm you down.
You can try to talk about it with someone you trust. My best friend knows about my panic attacks, and when I feel that I'm on the verge I tell him and he helps me. Sometimes it works to go to a place where it is calm, for example outside. Those two things really work for me, I hope that they'll help you too!
I use something called grounding when i feel panic coming on. I find a quiet safe place, I concentrate on one thing i can see, one thing i can hear, one thing i can smell and one thing i can touch. It helps my brain quieten down, so i can then focus on my breathing and slow that down next.
take a few seconds to recognize you are on the verge of a panic attack. put your hand on the nearest hard surface (a wall, a table, a locker) and take a small breath in through your nose, and exhale slowly out through your mouth.
regulate your breathing, and remind yourself you are a human being, you are alive, and that you are just having a panic attack.
Anonymous
December 28th, 2015 12:14pm
Go to the bathroom, breathe deeply to the count of 4 and exhale to the count of 6 which will oxygenate your brain and keep you relaxed
Anonymous
September 21st, 2015 12:14am
you need to calm, and try relaxing, speak with someone close to you, try to leave the reason of your panic attack, fight with this
go to the washroom splash some water on your face and then go outside for some fresh air this helps a lot
Go outside, somewhere where you can breathe, a place calm and with no one around. If you are in class you can ask to go on the corridor or go to the infirmary.
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