As you are going about your day, doing what you usually do, you may suddenly be gripped with fear and panic without knowing what you should do. You may even have a harder time coping with the dread and heaviness you feel in public without being able to escape. What you are experiencing is a panic attack. As you encounter this intense anxiety, you should find some coping skills to help you come out the other side without embarrassment and with grace and dignity intact.
Know What You Are Dealing With
As you navigate your way through any trauma that you have endured, knowing what a panic attack is and when you will be susceptible to one is essential. Symptoms include a feeling of doom and gloom, sweating, dizziness, shakiness, increased heart rate, heart palpitations, difficulty breathing, numbness, or chest pains. When any of these symptoms occur, they usually last for approximately 10 minutes. They can come on when you are trying something new, meeting someone for the first time, or going somewhere that is foreign or stressful. Discerning any potential triggers beforehand could allow you to prepare yourself better by having calming techniques available when you need them.
Know What You Can Do
Have tools ready to go that will help you manage anxiety when you are in public. Download a guided meditation or a song playlist on your phone that can serve as a distraction and provide tranquility. You can also call someone who can talk you through your fear. Try going for a walk to get some fresh air and a fresh perspective or, if you are literally paralyzed with fear, find a focal point to concentrate on that can calm your nerves. You can also focus on your breathing so that the air in your lungs can take out some of the anxiety and bring in some peace. Do whatever you can to appease your panic attack so that you can move on and be productive.
Panic attacks are nothing to be ignored. They can be debilitating and humiliating if you do not put in the effort to research the why and the how about panic attacks. You may be suffering from other mental health issues that may need some attention on a larger scale. Seek assistance from a health care professional if you believe the panic attacks are becoming more debilitating or occurring more frequently. There is nothing wrong with accepting help for how to effectively cope with anxiety and panic attacks, especially if it will give you better peace of mind.
The Guest House Ocala is dedicated to bringing healing and hope to those who struggle with addiction and other self-destructive behaviors, mainly as a result of traumatic or emotional events. Healing from addiction, extensive therapy training, and treatment administration can bring an ideal balance of deep understanding from high-level expertise to our mission. We offer residential treatment programs specialized for the care of traumas, addictions, and related mental health issues.
Call us today for information on our trauma treatment programs and our concierge-style customization for every guest at (855) 483-7800.