How can I avoid a panic attack without suppressing my emotions?

Hey there :) Panic attacks are horrible, aren't they? It's important to remember that even though they feel terrible, they can't hurt you. Firstly, panic attacks occur as a result of our brain perceiving danger and instigating the 'fight or flight' response. This is natural and has helped humans survive danger in the past. There is one problem though: the danger in the past (e.g. a wild, aggressive animal), is no longer a threat to us nowadays, but we still get panic attacks when we are very anxious. Next, understand what happens when you have a panic attack. There are 3 main factors that affect panic attacks. They are your thoughts, feelings and behaviours. What do you think triggered your panic attack? If you don't know, start keeping a record of when you get a panic attack and what you were doing, thinking and feeling at the time. A lot of the time, panic attacks can occur as a result of anxious thoughts. We might worry what if someone judges us, what if we do badly, what if we make a fool of ourselves etc. These what if's, are largely untrue but we focus on them and we increase the anxiety. It's helpful to challenge those thoughts and create more realistic ones instead. Instead of worrying about someone judging you, realise that most of the time, other people might be absorbed in whatever they are doing to notice too much. Even if they were judging you, you wouldn't know and they should still treat you with respect that you as a human deserve. You might also notice physical symptoms of anxiety too. A racing heartbeat, shallow breathing, feeling hot, maybe even detached and 'unreal' are symptoms of panic attacks. Noticing these symptoms and realising that they are just physical feelings, and that you aren't going crazy or going to die will help. Perhaps you could look online for some deep breathing exercises to practice too. Anxiety can affect our behaviour too. We might start avoiding people or places that we associate with higher levels of anxiety and panic attacks. Try not to do this as it may only make matters worse. We may worry a lot about different things and when this worry builds up, it can trigger panic attacks. Journaling your emotions and taking time to look after yourself will help. If it's possible talk to family, friends and your doctor about your feelings and seek counselling to prevent panic attacks in the long term.

Awareness. Education. Know your body and how it handles an attack. Suppressing your emotions may CAUSE an attack. Remember that it's okay to feel anxious, that all you are feeling is okay. BREATHE. Follow the body and gently try to calm the breath. Remember-you're not crazy and you're not going to die. It's just emotions. Find your best coping mechanisms (sharing, going outside, pacing, whatever works for you) Know you will endure. We always do. :)

Engage in activities that stimulate your brain and keep you busy, such as getting outside, exercising or taking a shower.practice deep breathing,listen to music that calms you.ground yourself... hold onto some keys or a doorframe or a piece of furniture.

When I start to have a panic attack I use a breathing technique, inhaling slowly for 4 breaths and exhaling slowly for five. I do it for at least 3x. What this does is move what is happening in the brain from the emotion area to the cognitive area. In the emotion area (limbic and amygdala) it is easy to get lost in what I am feeling, but if I can switch to the cognitive area (pre-frontal cortex) I can calm myself down and rationalize. Saying out loud, "I am okay, I am safe, this will pass" several times, even if you are only saying it in your mind is a great way to decrease and then stop a panic attack. It forces the mind into cognitive action and out of emotional reaction.

I have found that a great way to keep panic attacks from happening is to keep an emotional journal and write in it at every meal or at three points throughout the day. Recognizing your emotions and becoming more accepting of what you feel throughout the day is the goal!

It's not about suppressing your emotions. It's about examining the thoughts that lead to your emotions. and remember to breathe. It is almost impossible to have a panic attack if you are breathing correctly.

If you are having panic attacks often enough to be asking this question, I would seek professional guidance.

Sure you can. It's not easy, and it gets better the more you deal with it. Identify your triggers: Once you've identified your triggers, you can avoid the panic attack by simply not dealing with the situation in the first place. Another method is to come over a panic attack in a natural way. A panic attack is just the body heightening its senses and releasing adrenaline. Lower your heart rate, and calm yourself using breathing methods, and other things that calm you down :)

What I usually do is warn someone when I feel the symptoms of a panic attack just so that they're aware. I also have this app called Flowly which is free and it really helps me calm down.

calm yourself, breath count to ten same on you exhaled then to something to distract your pain into things that, simple yet tiring to do