When a panic attack strikes, Eastham focuses on breathing exercises and does her best to find a quiet space away from other people where she can ride it out. She also lets people know why she’s stepping away and what she needs at that moment.
If you think you’re having panic attacks, the best thing to do is reach out to your healthcare provider or a mental health professional for help.
Panic attacks are often linked to anxiety disorders or other mental health conditions, so it’s important that you see a professional to get the right diagnosis and treatment for what you’re experiencing. Your doctor can also rule out any underlying conditions that may be causing your symptoms, according to Cleveland Clinic.
If your doctor diagnoses you with panic attacks, panic disorder, or a related mental health condition, they can help you find a treatment plan that works for you. Here are four common and effective treatment options for panic attacks.
1. Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy (aka talk therapy) can be a key component of managing panic attacks, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Exposure and response prevention therapy is often involved, Cook says. In this practice, people gradually and repeatedly get used to feeling the symptoms of their panic attacks in a safe and controlled setting (like a therapist’s office), so they can learn how to live through the uncomfortable and distressing feelings in their body.
“When we learn how to face the panic rather than fear it so vehemently, it often deflates the power of the fear of future panic attacks,” Cook says.
“We also teach various coping strategies to clients, including things like having a self-care soothing kit when in moments of intense distress,” Cook says. “Having things like gum, sour candy, peppermint essential oil, and music are all ways to downregulate the nervous system when highly activated.”
2. Medication
Medication can help many people manage panic attacks, particularly if they have underlying mental health issues, says Philip Muskin, MD, a professor of psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City.
3. Exercise
Lifestyle approaches can be beneficial, Muskin adds. Exercise — especially cardiovascular activity that gets your heart pumping — can be a big help. “When people exercise, they can realize, ‘I am breathing very fast, and my heart is pounding in my chest, and I’m not having a panic attack,’” Muskin says. “This can make the experience of a panic attack itself easier to get through.”
4. Deep Breathing
Breathing exercises are also a big piece of the puzzle when it comes to managing panic attacks, says Muskin. That’s because slow and deep breathing can help reduce panic symptoms like hyperventilating (trouble breathing that involves rapid and deep breaths), which increase feelings of fear during a panic attack, according to Cleveland Clinic.
“I teach people to concentrate on their breath so they know what they’re feeling in their chest and how to control it and how to recognize that a panic attack won’t actually stop their lungs from working,” says Muskin.
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