10 tips for managing anxiety attacks

While fear and feelings of anxiety can accompany people with anxiety to the point where they almost get used to it, anxiety attacks are times when anxiety peaks and can cause real panic fears. Psychotherapy is the preferred treatment to consider in such situations, however, it is also possible to learn how to better calm and overcome them, via various methods and techniques. Here you will find our advice for managing and calming your anxiety attacks on your own, it being once again specified that none of these methods should take you away from psychotherapeutic treatment.

Spot the first signs of anxiety

Certain physical signs can indicate the onset of anxiety. Such as increased breathing, the feeling of chest compression and handshakes, sweaty hands, a feeling of dizziness, as well as other localized pain. Recognizing and spotting these first signals is essential because it helps slow down the progression of the increase in anxiety by reversing its dynamics. This can help prevent you from having an anxiety attack.

Food supplements and herbal medicine

It is strongly recommended to consume herbs and plants in the form of herbal teas in order to reduce or at least accompany medication intake. It is important to seek advice from your herbalist or pharmacist to choose the right plants, especially during pregnancy or breastfeeding. The plants best known for their benefits and anti-anxiety properties are: rhodiola, hawthorn or passionflower. It is also recommended for people with anxiety disorders to take magnesium, because due to stress, the level of the latter in our body is greatly reduced. Magnesium then helps regulate muscle contractions and soothe the person.

Cardiac coherence

When you feel anxiety rising, you can deal with it by taking deep, slow breathing for 5 to 10 minutes. When we voluntarily reduce and calm our breathing rate, our heartbeat slows down, and our mind calms down with this new rhythm. This method is called “cardiac coherence” and is one of the most effective techniques.

To do this, you must inhale through your nose, blow out through your mouth, then completely empty your lungs. It is important to concentrate entirely on your breathing. Thanks to this technique, you will stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system, which is the center of relaxation in the body, and you will inhibit the action of the orthosympathetic nervous system, which, in turn, is responsible for arousal.

Your brain will therefore be focused entirely on your breathing, and will neglect the symptoms and worries that are causing you this anguish and anxiety.

Practice a mindfulness exercise

During an anxiety attack, we have difficulty controlling our thoughts. Mindfulness allows you to voluntarily concentrate on something very specific, in order to allow you to return to the present. This technique consists of paying attention to the direct environment, that is to say the place where you are. Then try to name and describe each object you see around you (this could be a vase, a table, a plant, an armchair, etc.). The idea is to calm your mind, increase your relaxation and anchor you in the environment around you.

Stimulate acupressure points

You can activate two specific acupressure points on your own that allow you to relieve stress. The first is located in your right hand, at the extension of the little finger, at the base of your wrist, between the bone and the tendon.

The second point is between the index finger and the thumb. To activate it, you must pinch the flesh located in this area, quite firmly, for a few minutes.

Self-hypnosis

Self-hypnosis is a very effective technique, increasingly used by health professionals, and helps manage anxiety attacks. This technique consists of closing your eyes as soon as you feel a crisis occurring, and trying to imagine yourself in a place that you really like. It could be a garden, a beach, a chalet in a mountain…

Then, try to describe internally what you are feeling: the sun on your skin, the soft sand under your feet, the caresses of the wind on your cheek… This will help calm your mind, and reduce the signs physical symptoms of anxiety attacks.

Essential oils

Essential oils have a soothing power. We can cite Petitgrain bigarade or Ylang-ylang which help reduce blood pressure, and therefore lower the heart rate.

In case of extreme muscular tension, it is advisable to use Roman chamomile to relieve yourself, by massaging the solar plexus or wrist with a few drops of this oil. You can also put a few drops of fine lavender at night in case of a nocturnal crisis.

Tension-release cycles

To soothe an anxiety attack, you can tense and then relax your body. This technique is very often used in Yoga. It consists of taking a deep breath, then blocking your breathing for a period of 5 to 10 seconds, putting your body in tension. Do this exercise for at least 10 minutes. This will reduce your muscle tension.

Play sports

It is recommended to maintain movement from the start of your attack, if possible. The level of cortisol is reduced when you exercise, which is the stress hormone. Try to combat the paralysis caused by the presence of stress by keeping your body moving. Jogging, yoga, walking, or even cycling are excellent methods to get your body breathing and reduce your anxiety.

Stimulate your thymus

It is also called “the point of happiness”. The thymus is located in the neck, near the sternum. This organ centralizes part of your body’s energy. By stimulating it, it helps reduce stress. You can do this by smiling broadly and tapping it for about fifteen seconds.

Consult a psychologist

When they are significant, anxiety attacks can make life burdensome, and force the individual to implement numerous avoidant or controlling behaviors which generally increase the feeling of anxiety. In addition, the fear of an attack sometimes creates a vicious cycle between episodes, with some people developing anxiety at the thought of becoming anxious.

Consultation with a psychologist is essential, and if possible before the situation worsens and becomes invasive. Your psychologist will explain to you how anxiety sets in, and how to reverse the dynamic to regain balance and control of your mental life. At Psy n You, our specialized online psychologists are here to listen to you, at a single rate of €39 per session.