How to Recognize and Calm an Anxiety Attack
An anxiety attack can happen anytime and anywhere. You might be sitting at your desk when suddenly you notice your heart racing and your chest tightening. You may be standing in line at the grocery store when, out of nowhere, you feel like you can’t catch your breath.
One minute you feel perfectly fine, and the next, you’re in full panic mode. It can be very confusing and overwhelming if you’re not used to panic attacks or you don’t understand what’s going on in your body.
Learning how to recognize the signs of an anxiety attack and practicing coping strategies will help reduce their intensity and frequency.
What Does an Anxiety Attack Feel Like?
Anxiety attacks are a personal experience involving different presentations for everyone. Some common signs to watch for include:
A rapid heart rate
Sweating
Trembling
Shortness of breath or chest tightness
Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
Nausea
Feeling fearful of losing control
Your body has a built-in stress response system that serves to protect you. When you’re under any amount of stress, this system can get kicked into high gear. The result may include certain physical symptoms, like those listed above.
Sometimes, your brain perceives there to be a threat, even when there isn’t one. This leads to a flood of stress hormones into your system, triggering the fight-or-flight response.
The biggest challenge with anxiety is that many of these common symptoms are very similar to other major medical conditions. If you’re experiencing a new onset of symptoms, it’s always worth exploring them with your doctor to rule out any medical issues.
Understanding Your Triggers
In addition to recognizing what an anxiety attack is, gaining an understanding of your personal triggers can be helpful in your healing journey. Start paying attention to your patterns and your surroundings when an anxiety attack hits.
Do they occur in crowded places? Is a heavy workload the source? Are you more prone to anxiety after getting too little sleep?
Understanding your triggers doesn’t mean you will always be able to avoid them, but it does give you a starting point and a chance to be prepared. Your triggers may not always be the most obvious, so be open-minded and curious. Keeping an anxiety log can help sort it all out over time.
Grounding Techniques That Work
When you find yourself in the midst of an anxiety attack, implementing simple grounding techniques can help bring you back into the present moment. One effective technique to disrupt your anxiety spiral is the 5-4-3-2-1 method, where you find:
5 things you can see
4 things you can touch
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste
Another approach is to focus on deep breathing to help your nervous system calm down. A simple starting point is box breathing. You’ll complete a full cycle and then repeat until your breathing has returned to normal:
Breathe in slowly for four counts
Hold for four counts
Exhale slowly for four counts
Hold for four counts
Building Long-Term Coping Skills
In-the-moment techniques are great for reacting to an anxiety attack. You will also benefit from exploring ways to be proactive in reducing the frequency of your attacks. These aren’t necessarily quick fixes, but things that build a solid foundation to make you more resilient over time.
Participating in regular mindfulness practices, ensuring adequate sleep each night, and engaging in routine physical activity can all strengthen your ability to manage your stress load. You may also consider therapy to evaluate what’s fueling your anxiety and to practice personalized coping strategies.
Taking the Next Step
If anxiety is interfering with your daily life or you’re struggling to find what works for you, anxiety counseling can provide the support you need. My goal is to help you feel more confident and in control of your daily life. Contact me to schedule a consultation today.
