Anxiety attack - what to do?

What is an anxiety attack?

You are having an anxiety attack is when you experience a fear or worry that comes very intensely. An anxiety attack is often building up before you experience it as an attack. People also interchangeably use panic attacks and anxiety attacks. The main difference is that certain stressors can trigger the anxiety attack, whilst a panic attack is typically sudden and unexpected. Anxiety attacks are often less intense and last longer than a panic attack.

What you might feel when you're having an anxiety attack are few of these things:

• Racing heart/palpitations

• Shortness of breath/feeling like you can't breathe/chest tightness

• Dizziness or lightheadedness

• Sweating/shaking

• Sense of dread, loss of control

• Feeling that something bad is about to happen

  
  

Anxiety is not a formal medical term (unlike panic attacks), but more of a common term people use. It is typically linked to ongoing stress or worry (such as deadlines, relationship issues, health issues, work issues). Anxiety attacks build up gradually, and can be spotted through symptoms such as restlessness, muscle tension, irritability, difficulty concentrating, sleep issues.

Anxiety attack - what to do?

"I'm having an anxiety attack, what should I do?"

1. Use your breath.

   - Focus on your breathing as the first step. What is called 'diaphragmatic breathing', you can consciously control your breath which at that point is an automatic process. It makes sense, because if there is a tiger in front of you, your body will respond to that as a threat through rapid, automatic breathing. Instead, you want to slow that all the way down. This is done through your belly/diaphragm. - The slower you exhale, the more you'll engage the parasympathetic nervous system, which is respnsible for a calmer nervous system, therefore a calmer and safer body.

   
   

   - You can try 4-7-8 breathing: inhale for 4 seconds -> hold for 7 -> exhale slowly for 8.

   
   

   Tips: Try to breathe out as much air as you can by tightening your abdominal muscles. Long exhales will tell your body that everything is OK.

   
   

2. Ground yourself in your present environment - the here and now.

To continue the slowing down of the body, you can ground yourself in the present moment to send the message that you are safe - that there is no tiger in front of you. Anxiety attacks tell your body that you are not safe. But most often, you really are safe.

You can use the 5-4-3-2-1 method, by naming:

• 5 things you see

• 4 things you touch

• 3 things you hear

• 2 things you smell

• 1 thing you taste

3. Use sensory information

Another way to bring your body back into calmness and grounding, therefore disrupting the anxiety attack is to make contact with something physically. Try to:

• Hold something cold (like an ice cube or chilled drink).

• Splash cool water on your face.

• Strong physical sensations can snap your body out of the “fight-or-flight” loop.

To stop an anxiety attack really means to bring your body back into safety, into the parasympathetic nervous system. Your anxiety attack is typically the build of ongoing stress. So whilst these tricks can help in the moment, it is important to address what is making you anxious once your body has calmed down and you can engage with your thoughts and feelings without feeling overwhelmed.