By: John Cielo
Submitted: 2010-05-25 11:11:07 | Word Count: 538
More and more people with anxiety are looking for natural ways to eliminate anxiety attacks. And there are a number of things you can do to stop anxiety / panic attacks, and, prevent them happening again.
The first thing is to realize that an anxiety or panic attack cannot harm you. This is a medical fact. During an attack, all you're experiencing are the 'symptoms' of your body's response to what it 'perceives' as a threat.
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You see, your body is hard-wired to react in this way, and, it was particularly useful to our ancestors. The body's natural 'fight or flight' response allowed them to either fight to the very best of their ability, or, to run away from danger as fast as they could.
So where does your body get the idea that there is danger when no such danger exists? It can happen when a person with already high anxiety levels is faced with a stressful event, like sitting an exam for example. This additional stress pushes the total anxiety level so high that the body reads this as if you're in danger, and triggers the fight or flight response.
The symptoms you experience during an anxiety attack, such as nausea, dizziness, hot and cold flashes, tight chest, racing heart, tingling in your extremities, detachment and a feeling of impending doom, are the results of your body's preparing you to run or fight.
But you know there isn't any physical danger, so you don't understand why you feel these symptoms. The only explanation you have at the time is that you're suffering something serious and unexpected, such as a heart attack.
So, during an attack, first remember that it cannot harm you. Then try to relax by breathing slowly in through your nose and out through your mouth. Not too deeply, and not fast, as this can make things worse. By slow, rhythmic breathing, you want to re-establish your oxygen and carbon dioxide balance.
Focus outwards as much as possible, by studying buildings, people, trees, etc. round about you. Try not to analyze your symptoms as this will make your fear even worse. Focus outwards, not inwards.
So how to prevent future anxiety attacks? There are many things you can and should do. Obviously, you should be seeking professional help for one. You might find that drugs work for you whilst you take them. And things like counselling, etc. can help too.
But, whichever treatment or combination of treatments you use, there is one thing that you have to get rid of. And that critical issue is your underlying 'fear' of having another attack. Your very fear of another anxiety attack can actually trigger one. So you have to break this vicious cycle of fear and anxiety.
