Every person has experienced some of those uncomfortable symptoms when a panic attack kicks in. Your heart starts racing, your chest feels tight, and you feel like the world is spinning around you. These attacks can surely be very uncomfortable and scary. You feel like you are losing control. But trust us, you are not alone in this, and there is always a way to calm yourself down. It can feel extremely scary if you are experiencing this for the first time. No matter how often you experience them, knowing how to calm yourself and your mind during an anxiety attack can be of great help. We’ve gathered some of the most beneficial tips that can help you calm your mind and body during these attacks.

Understand What’s Happening and Consider Treatment

The first thing you should do is recognize and understand that an anxiety attack is happening right now. If you don’t understand what’s going on, it’s likely that you’ll panic even more because of your fear and worsen your symptoms even more. Reminding yourself that it’s your anxiety can help you understand that it’s not some life-threatening situation and that it’ll pass. This way, you will have control over your symptoms. Saying this to yourself may sound very simple, but this understanding of the situation can help you to lessen your fear. If these attacks often occur, you should definitely look up some anxiety treatment options. Therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, is proven to help people manage their anxiety. Your therapist will help you recognize what the actual cause of your anxiety is, and when you know what the root is, it’s easier to treat it. Sometimes, doctors can also prescribe some medication as a part of the treatment. Asking for help is never a weakness. It will always be a huge, brave step towards healing yourself and taking control of your life.

Focus on the Breathing

When a panic attack starts, your breathing changes immediately. You start breathing rapidly and shallowly, and this can make you feel even more panicked. When you start focusing on your breathing, it’s possible that you will calm your body in a short time. There are many popular techniques out there that you should try. One of them is to inhale slowly through your nose as you count to four, hold your breath for four seconds, and then exhale through your mouth for four seconds. You should repeat this cycle a few times for it to work. People call this “box breathing,” and it works by helping your body to activate its relaxation response. If your attacks are extremely severe and it’s hard for you to count these seconds, just try to make your exhales longer than your inhales. This will send the signal to your nervous system that it should calm down. These exercises can sound silly at first, but when you practice them for a long time, you’ll notice that they are a powerful tool to help you get control back during an anxiety attack.

Move Your Body

This can be the last thing you think about when you are experiencing an anxiety attack. But physical activity has many benefits in these situations. Moving your body helps you release tension and calm your mind. There’s no need to do anything intense and hard. Take a small walk, do gentle stretching, or just shake your arms and legs. These little exercises help your body burn off the excess adrenaline that is helping your anxiety. If you find yourself at a place where you can’t do some kinds of movements, like at work or in a crowded place, you can try another method. Clench your fists and then release them, or tap your feet. These movements can also help you release some of that excess energy in your body.

Try Grounding Techniques

When you have anxiety, you often think about the future and the things that haven’t even happened yet. You must learn to focus on the present if you want to treat your anxiety. For this to work, you can try some of the famous grounding techniques, which will bring your attention back to the present. One of them is the 5-4-3-2-1 method. You should look around yourself and name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. This method helps your brain to focus on the present and what’s going on around you at the moment, and this will break the cycle of anxious thoughts.

Talk to Someone Close

Sometimes, we can feel incredible ease if we share our worries with others. Try to reach out to a close friend, a family member, or someone around you you can trust. There’s no need to tell them every detail of your current situation. You can just say that you are feeling anxious at the moment and that you need some kind of support. Usually, talking to someone who cares about you can help you calm down because you get the feeling that you are not alone in this. If there is no one around you, or you don’t feel comfortable talking to someone, you can use your journal to write your current thoughts. Journaling is a fantastic way to understand and process your emotions because you get to read them after the panic attack. This way, you can gain clarity about what the actual cause of your anxiety is, and it will have a great impact on your treatment.

Anxiety attacks can be a scary thing. It can make you feel like the world is ending, and the situation gets even worse if you don’t know how to act at that moment. But remember, these attacks don’t have to control your life. When you know exactly what you should do and when you try using some new, popular techniques for overcoming these difficulties, you can successfully calm your mind and body during an attack. You should never hesitate to ask for help. Any kind of communication with your loved one or a therapist will be of great help. When you start learning more about this, you’ll find out what works best for you, and you’ll get the power to navigate your anxiety when it becomes overwhelming.