Breathe, Relax, Recover: Quick First Aid for Panic Attacks

People who do not have panic disorder also get panic attacks at times. 1 in every 5 people definitely gets panic attacks at some point in their lifetime. Some people have a history of panic attacks and know what triggers this problem in them, while others can have panic attacks without any reason or situation. Before you help yourself or someone else in case of a panic attack, you should know what happens when panic attack occurs?  Panic attack includes the following symptoms in the body:

• Very fast Heart beat , feeling as if the heart has stopped beating or the beats are coming intermittently.
• Difficulty breathing or feeling like suffocation.
• Body tremors and tingling or numbness in the fingers and toes.
• Feeling dizzy and sick
• Excessive sweating
• Suicidal thoughts 
• Feeling that you are losing control over your mind
• Feeling angry or aggressive

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Difficulty in breathing during a panic attack should not be considered asthma. If a person gets an asthma attack then he needs his medicine immediately whereas panic attack lasts for a very short time and the person recovers completely from it in some time. During an asthma attack, the person have to work hard to breathe, whereas if a person has a panic attack, then that person can be seen breathing in and out in large amounts and very frequent.

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• Take deep breaths: Hyperventilation due to fear or nervousness is a symptom of panic attack due . In such situation, deep breathing can help in reducing the symptoms of panic attack. Focus on deep breathing and take more air inside the body through the mouth and feel that this air is filling your chest and stomach and then exhale it. Breathe in while counting 1-2-3-4, hold the breath for 1 second and then exhale while counting 1-2-3-4.
• Think that this time will also pass: No matter how scared you are during a panic attack, negative thoughts are coming to your mind, but you just have to remember that this is also just a negative feeling in negative situation that will not cause you any physical harm .The symptoms of panic attack are very high within 10 minutes of starting and after that the symptoms of the attack gradually start reducing.
• Close your eyes: Sometimes panic attack is caused by a trigger that you have seen with your own eyes and after seeing it you remember something, or you got scared after seeing something. In such a situation, you should close your eyes during a panic attack and focus on your breathing.
• Practice mindfulness : Mindfulness is a state in which a person feels alert and aware about the things presented around him. Whenever a panic attack starts , things start to seem different from reality . In such situation, practicing mindfulness will help you face panic attacks by realizing that whatever you are seeing or thinking is not an illusion but reality. Focus on those physical sensations that you already know, like rubbing your feet on the ground or holding your clothes with your hands or thinking about something good that has happened to you, think about your family. These experiences will keep you in reality and will also help you concentrate.
• Focus on an object: When a panic attack comes, focus any object placed in front of you and start noting all the things related to that object, many people also get help from this technique. For example - if there is a watch in front of your eyes, then describe its pattern, color, shape and size. Focus your entire energy on this one object and you will see that by doing this your symptoms of panic attack have started reducing.
• Adopt muscle relaxation techniques: Just like deep breathing, there are muscle relaxation techniques that help you to prevent panic attacks. With your full effort, relax your muscles and body as much as possible that time. 

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• Do light exercise: Endorphin hormone helps in pumping blood properly and mood improvement . During stressful situation like panic attack , doing light exercise such as - walking or swimming can generates endorphin hormone in the body.
• Use lavender oil : Lavender is known to relax, mental peace and relieve stress. This can help relax your body. In frequent panic attacks situations , you should always keep lavender oil with you and whenever you feel that you are about to have a panic attack, apply lavender oil on your forearms and smell it. If you want, you can also drink lavender or chamomile tea during a panic attack. Both of these will make you feel very relaxed.

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The person who has had a panic attack may not be able to explain that why he had this attack ? what caused it? so do not force him to tell the reason. Instead, reassure the affected person, encourage him that everything will be fine.

• Talk positively to the affected person, explain to them that everything will be fine in a short while.
• If something is the cause of their trouble or trigger, then remove it from there or take that person to another place.
• Tell the affected person to breathe slowly through his nose or mouth and focus on his breathing.
• Small sips of water can also help calm and comfort the person.
• Take the affected person to a quiet place. Sitting in a comfortable place can also be effective because doing so can help them focus on their respiratory process.
• Remind the person repeatedly that the panic attack is not going to last forever, it will end soon.
• Keep your behavior positive.
• As far as possible, talk to the person in a friendly and light mood so that their mind is diverted from the problem and they feel safe.
• If the symptoms of panic attack start becoming severe or start worsening, then immediately seek medical help.

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When you get a panic attack, instead of panicking, take a deep breath and follow the 4-4-4 method that is breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds and exhale in 4 seconds. Bring yourself back to the present situation with the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique—look at 5 things around you, touch 4 things, listen to 3 sounds, smell 2 things and taste 1 thing. Calm yourself down by drinking cold water or washing your face. Take a light walk or talk to someone you trust. Remember, this attack is temporary and goes away in a short while, so control yourself and maintain patience.