If you’ve suffered from an anxiety attack, you understand how scary one can be: your heart races, your body sweats, you may tremble and have a feeling of impending danger or doom. Many people have even found themselves in the emergency room, thinking they’re experiencing a heart attack or some other life-threatening situation.
The root of an anxiety attack lies in our nervous system. Anxiety is a tool created by our bodies to help us evade danger. However, sometimes the part of our brains that alerts us to a dangerous situation can remain fired up, making us believe we’re in trouble when we’re not and impacting our mental health. Luckily, our parasympathetic nervous system can help short circuit an attack. Here are some coping skills to learn how to deal with an anxiety attack.
Look Your Anxiety in the Eye
By taking a moment and recognizing your anxiety attack, you are able to remind yourself that it will pass. When you’re able to calm down a bit, you can begin to focus on other coping skills to help you manage your symptoms.
Practice Deep Breathing
Our bodies and our mental health are intrinsically linked. No wonder then that something as simple as breathing deeply into your diaphragm can help during a panic attack. Simply count to six as you breathe in and again as you breathe out.
Take a Hot Bath
Taking a hot bath with Epsom salts can help you in the event of an attack and to relax your body in the long run. Magnesium, found in salts, promotes a feeling of relaxation.
Take in Some Soothing Sounds
Studies show that listening to low-frequency tones called binaural beats can reduce anxiety. They’re also known to influence mood and help with pain control.
Give Your Face a Cold-Water Splash
A simple coping mechanism with proven results. Studies show that splashing cold water on your face stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, brining you a much-welcomed sense of calm.
Knowing how to manage an anxiety attack is important, but addressing the underlying root cause of your anxiety is arguably more so. Anxiety is often treated with medication and talk therapy, though people who fail to find relief through those interventions may be a candidate for ketamine for anxiety. If you are struggling with anxiety in your daily life, and have been unable to treat your symptoms, please contact us.
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