7 WAYS OF DEALING WITH AN ANXIETY ATTACK

Occasional anxiety is normal but a problem if it negatively affects your quality of life and sense of wholeness. In this article, we will look at 7 ways of dealing with an anxiety attack.

Anxiety is experienced by everyone at some point in life. You can be anxious prior to a job interview, a date, your first day at work or school, etc. However, anxiety becomes a problem if it occurs frequently and interferes with your quality of life. An anxiety attack is when one experiences episodes of intense panic, fear, and worry.

Having been a victim of anxiety attacks, I can tell you that it is extremely irritating and disturbing. Guess you already know that. What would hurt the most was seeing how my spouse could struggle with trying to cope with me during an attack. But that was before I found ways of dealing with an episode when it strikes.

Managing anxiety disorder in a relationship or in parenthood is not easy at all. Because you ultimately affect those close to you during your attack. And it just distorts your character. Which explains why it may interfere with the quality of relationships surrounding you. You may end up feeling like a toxic person especially because you cannot control what you are experiencing. And no one seems to understand. This ultimately interferes with your quality of life.

So how would you know that you are having an anxiety attack? There are several signs and symptoms. Below I have listed a few common signs that may indicate that you are having an anxiety attack.

• Excessive and persistent fear, panic or worry
• Feelings of dread, nervousness, restlessness or tension
• Feelings of losing control or being detached
• Rapid or difficult breathing
• Hot flashes or chills
• Irritability
• Insomnia
• Sweating
• Trouble eating

Anxiety is often a problem when it interferes with one’s relationships or quality of life. Usually, to gain control of the situation, one may seek other avenues such as substance abuse in an attempt to feel “normal”. Unfortunately, this is never the case. Uncontrolled anxiety may have the following consequences;

• Depression
• Substance abuse
• Chronic pains including headaches
• Suicide

If you feel the situation is out of control, I would advise you to see professional help. Anxiety disorders are not to be taken lightly especially if certain levels are exceeded. Below I will share 7 ways of dealing with an anxiety attack and they work for me every single time. They might just work for you too.

Identify stressors

Usually, an anxiety attack is precipitated by a stressor and the first thing to deal with it is to identify and avoid stressors. Prolonged stress may be a risk factor.

Talk to your partner

Believe it or not, it is scarier for your partner during your attack because he/she lives in constant anticipation of when it might happen again and how to deal with it. Much worse if he/she has no idea what’s going on, they might just think you are crazy, or worse possessed. The best you can do is talk to your partner about it, let them understand what you are going through. And every time you have an attack, tell them.

Diversional therapy

Engage in your favorite hobby or past time activity. Get busy. I know someone whose yard is in perfect shape because every time he has an anxiety attack at home, he gets to work n his garden. Cool isn’t it? Gets the job done while helping himself. I love writing poetry, it lifts the anxiety off while providing me with work that I may use on my blog or social platform at a later stage.

Exercise

This works for me every single time. You can do some exercise routine for 15 to 20 minutes. You can also dance exercise to a video. I use a skipping rope or dance along to a core rhythm exercise video. The idea is to break a sweat. Science proves that physical exercise is an excellent stress reliever. Even outdoor walking may do the trick.

Practice some relaxation techniques

Yoga is proven effective in the relief of anxiety, stress, depression, and other mental health issues. It is also excellent for relaxation and wellness of the mind. Some yoga workouts on Youtube are specific for anxiety as they incorporate breathing exercises for relaxation.

You can also practice deep breathing with meditation. If you are using guided meditation from a video, be careful with some chants that accompany some meditation routines. You might want to skip the chants and just breathe yourself to relaxation. Better yet come up with your own positive affirmations.

Listen to uplifting music

Yet another technique that does the trick for me. In fact, I have compiled a list of my favorite uplifting tracks that I play in such a time. Compile some songs that speak to you positively. Don’t select music that turns your mind all negative.

Pray about it

Your maker knows you inside out. And he cares about you. Speak to him about it every time it happens. Read some spiritual books especially the bible. There are times that only prayer would work for me. Click here to read about anxiety and faith.

• Don’t yell or scream at the people around you. Trust me, what you are going through is hard and strange for them as much as it is for you.
• Don’t take alcohol
• Don’t smoke
• Don’t take drugs
• Don’t take caffeine

Alcohol, nicotine, and coffee are known to increase levels of stress and anxiety, unlike the supposition that they may alleviate the situation.

Remember to seek professional help if you feel you cannot handle anxiety on your own.