How to Prevent Anxiety Attacks

Imagine you are sitting at home on the couch, and you are suddenly gripped by anxiety. There is an intense fear that you are going crazy or that you are having a heart attack. Your heart beats faster and you feel as if you can't breathe. You may also have chest pain, heart palpitations, nausea and sweating. These are just some of the symptoms that can signal that you are suffering an anxiety attack. Once medical causes for these symptoms have been ruled out, there are many things that you can do to prevent an anxiety attack. Here are some helpful techniques that can help you take control of your anxiety attacks.

Things You'll Need

• Anxiety attack books
• Joke books
• Comedy Movies

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Instructions

• 1

  Learn about anxiety attacks. Read information that covers anxiety, anxiety disorders, stress and the fight-or-flight response. Learning as much as you can about anxiety attacks can be reassuring and help to put your mind at ease. Once you understand the symptoms that occur during an anxiety attack, you will know that that they are harmless and that your life is not in danger.

• 2

  Recognize the symptoms. If you do suffer another anxiety attack, stop and recognize the symptoms. Tell yourself that you know what is happening and that these symptoms won't kill you. Do not try and fight the symptoms. Many patients find that talking themselves out of an anxiety attack can help to lessen the severity of the attack.

• 3

  Control your breathing. There are many breathing techniques that you can use to prevent an anxiety attack. For instance, one technique is called slow breathing: Place one hand on your chest and another on your abdomen. Hold your breath and count to 10. Think "relax" to yourself as you exhale. Then slowly inhale through your nose for 3 seconds. Your hand that is resting on your abdomen should be rising while the hand on your chest is staying almost still. Exhale slowly from your mouth for at least 3 seconds. Watch as the hand that is on your abdomen falls as you exhale. Repeat this process for 5 minutes. Do this exercise for 30 minutes each day and anytime that you start to feel that a anxiety attack is going to strike. Another method that might help you is to breathe slowly into a paper bag. This will help your mind focus on your breathing rather than on the terrifying symptoms.

• 4

  Control your stress. Choose a certain time and place everyday to do your worrying. Spend 30 minutes thinking about your personal problems and some potential solutions. Do not think of all the bad things that could happen. Focus on the moment. It may help to write down your feelings and the problems you are thinking about. Then after the 30 minutes are up, continue with your day. Many people find that this technique helps to control their constant worrying. It is an effective method to manage your anxiety so that you won't feel overwhelmed.

• 5

  Talk to someone that you trust. Discuss your feelings with a family member, friend or significant other. Join a support group. Sharing your feelings with others that are going through anxiety attacks can help you feel that you are not alone. You may learn many insights such as helpful methods to manage your stress or the best ways that people cope with anxiety attacks.

• 6

  Enroll in therapy. Your therapist can teach you coping mechanisms for stress. The main treatment used for anxiety attacks is cognitive behavioral therapy, which can help you to recognize the thinking patterns that trigger your anxiety. It can also give you new ways to react to situations that make you feel anxious or fearful. During cognitive behavioral therapy, you can recreate the situations that make you panic. You may be able to overcome your fear of certain situations such as driving, being home alone, being in an elevator or being in crowds.

• 7

  Eat a healthy diet. Certain foods can worsen anxiety. Avoid alcohol, caffeine and sugar. Increase the amount of vegetables and fruits which can help to stabilize your energy and mood levels.

• 8

  Seek out laughter. Find things in your life to laugh about. Watch movies that are comedies, visit a comedy club or read a joke book. Laughter can help you become healthier. It can reduce your stress levels, improve your mood and lower your blood pressure.