Know How to Stop Panic Attacks? Test Yourself Here
By: John Cielo
Submitted: 2010-08-22 13:10:09 | Word Count: 687
Below are three key questions you need to know the answers to, if you want to know how to stop panic attacks. I will give you those questions, and then offer analysis on the correct answer. But there is an assumption here, and that is that you have already been diagnosed with panic attacks, and are aware of the symptoms...
1. When I feel a panic attack coming on I...
(a) panic because I know how terrifying the symptoms are
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(b) think that this time I will have a heart attack or die
(c) don't panic because I know a panic attack cannot harm me
The correct answer is (c). It is a medical fact that a panic attack cannot harm you. The symptoms are just the result of your body making various chemical and other changes in your body during its 'flight or fight' response to a perceived danger. But there was no danger, it's just that your body misinterpreted your high stress and anxiety as a sign that you were in danger.
2. During a panic attack I...
(a) breath deeply and slowly expanding my chest as much as possible
(b) breath deeply, slowly and rhythmically using my abdomen as well as my chest
(c) get as many breaths in as I can
The correct answer here is (b). During a panic attack you hyperventilate, which upsets your normal oxygen / carbon dioxide balance which then causes some of the symptoms of the attack, e.g. dizziness, lightheadedness, and a feeling of being detached from reality. You get this back in balance by returning to your normal breathing pattern. But you must use all of your lung capacity, hence the vital need to inflate and deflate using your diaphragm as well as you chest.
3. And during an attack I...
(a) don't analyse my symptoms but focus on external things
(b) analyse my symptoms to see how bad they are and if they are getting worse
(c) wonder if they are the same symptoms as I had in my last attack
Answer (a) is the correct response. By analysing and focussing on your symptoms (that can sometimes come and go in waves) you are increasing your fear and trepidation, which only increases the intensity and time-span of your attack. So you must concentrate and focus on external images like buildings, vehicles, trees, people, indeed anything of interest that will take your focus away from your symptoms.
If you got all three correct then well done indeed! You are well on course to be able to control and reduce the intensity of your attacks. But even if you didn't, then you too are now in a much better position with that knowledge.
Now that you know how to control your attacks, what about stopping them altogether? So let me ask you another question...
What do you think is the key issue that has to be overcome in order to prevent panic attacks ever happening again? Any idea? No?
The answer is your 'fear' of having your next attack! And it's no wonder, because the symptoms are just so frightening that nobody in their right mind would want to go through that again. Now, this fear can be subconscious or conscious, it doesn't matter which, because it's there nonetheless.
And here's the thing... your fear of another panic attack can actually cause one! Remember that your attacks are caused by very highly elevated anxiety levels, so fear just adds another layer on top which pushes your overall levels even higher. The result? Another panic attack!
This is your vicious cycle of anxiety, which you need to break-out of, in order to stop panic attacks happening in the first place.
