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Anxiety relaxation techniques for panic attacks


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Anxiety relaxation techniques for when a panic attack hits. 

 

The bodies immediate response is to fight the symptoms making the attack worse. Relaxation is what helps them go away.

 

A panic/anxiety attack occurs when your body is extremely stressed and can no longer manage the stress. Your heart races, you start hyperventilating, your vision dims, you get dizzy. At the first sign of panic/anxiety, the key is to relax. Here are the techniques that work:

 

1. Deep Breathing: Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. Take a deep breath in and make the hand on your stomach move and the hand on your chest remain still. Takes a bit of practice, but with practice it gets easier. Take a deep breath in and hold it for a count of three. Then breathe it out through your mouth and count to five before taking the next deep breath. This prevents you from hyperventilating during an attack. You need to practice this breathing daily for at least ten minutes so that it becomes an automatic response. Eventually, it comes secondary in nature.

 

2. Muscle relaxation: Starting with your toes tighten the muscles for thirty seconds to one minute until they start to ache. Then completely relax the muscle group letting it go limp like spaghetti and repeat the process until you know how to relax the muscle. Repeat this with all the muscle groups- fingers, hands, arms, shoulders, neck, legs. Practice this relaxation daily. When a panic attack hits, you mentally check to see which muscles you have tensed up and then relax them.

 

3. Basic/Beginner Yoga: Yoga is a great form of breathing and relaxation. Through the technique you will learn to correctly breathe and get much needed exercise at the same time. Buy a beginner yoga video or enroll in a Yoga class. Practice it daily.

 

4. Music: Take some time out every day and listen to relaxing music. Recommended music choices are any soft piano, Windham Hill Artists, Nature Sounds, Jim Brickman, Jesse Cook, Jim Chappell, Steve Halpern, Alex Jones & Doug Cutler, Michael Jones, George Winston, Jonathan Lee.

 

5. Exercise: Exercise is the key to beating stress. Take 30 minutes a day and go for a walk outside, if it is raining take an umbrella. The fresh air and exercise are not only good for fighting panic, they are good for your health as well.

 

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Given below are the top 4 anxiety relaxation techniques you can use to keep your fears at bay.

 

Meditation: Relaxation refers to a controlled state of mind where you are completely at peace with the thoughts running through you. One of the easiest ways to relax is to go into deep meditation. There are two kinds of meditation. One, in which there is an attempt to focus deeply on one thought, and another in which the attempt is to become free of all thoughts. Whichever technique you use, meditation can be used to achieve deep relaxation.

 

Massage: If you have the time, then getting a good body massage with essential herbal oils can be a great way to relax. Many essential oils evoke soothing responses in the brain and bring about deep relaxation both in the body and mind. Of course, you need to make an attempt to clear your mind of disturbing thoughts so your body can relax itself.

 

Deep breathing: This is actually a mild form of meditation. When you breathe deeply, oxygen floods your system and this brings about a soothing feeling. Imagine that you are inhaling fresh air and that you are exhaling all your troubles. Deep breathing focuses the mind and makes it possible for you to tune into the silence of your mind. This is an excellent method to de-stress yourself.

 

Listening to music: These days, music for relaxation is being reinvented in a big way. Music has a very strong therapeutic influence on the mind. Different tempos can evoke corresponding moods in the mid. With advances made in the field of music therapy, it is now possible to get music CDs that are specially designed to relieve stress, evoke positive thoughts, assist meditation or bring freedom from pain. Listening to music is a great way to unwind. It is also less expensive and the effect is quiet immediate.

 

The choice of an effective anxiety relaxation technique depends on your personal preferences. After a while, you will begin to see what works and what does not, and what can be done to manage your anxiety better.

 

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Thanks for this great resource, Phyllis.  :thumbsup:  I imagine members may be able to add to the list over time.  I know I tried Tai Chi and it helped tremendously.  I think most everyone here knows I am a big fan of both mild exercise and the controlled/deep breathing for relief from anxiety.  I couldn't listen to music for quite a while; grated on me for some reason.  :-\
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Thanks for this great resource, Phyllis.  :thumbsup:  I imagine members may be able to add to the list over time.  I know I tried Tai Chi and it helped tremendously.  I think most everyone here knows I am a big fan of both mild exercise and the controlled/deep breathing for relief from anxiety.  I couldn't listen to music for quite a while; grated on me for some reason.   :-\

 

You know, so far it hasn't been a big issue with me but I've been practicing breathing techniques anyway.  Every chance I get to lay or sit still, I close my eyes and tell myself over and over again how calm I am while I listen to my relaxed breathing.  Glad I do it alone because I'd look like a nut!  "I'm calm, I'm soooo calm, I feel good, I feel soooo calm and good"    :2funny:

 

They say your brain responds better to positive feedback so I'm feeding it!      :crazy:

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