5 Tips for Calming an Anxiety Attack
Anxiety is a common disorder affecting an estimated 40 million Americans over the age of 18. Roughly one in five people suffer from anxiety of some kind. Anxiety attacks occur when you become triggered and feel a sudden, intense feeling of fear.
Symptoms of an anxiety attack include feeling irritable, agitated, tense, unfocused, restless, worried, and fatigued. You may experience sleep disturbances, stomach issues, racing thoughts, or heightened sensitivity to stimuli around you.
When an anxiety attack occurs, you may notice that your body gets off balance. By learning calming techniques, you can help regulate your body and gain some control back.
1. Practice the 5-4-3-2-1 Method
The 5-4-3-2-1 method is an effective grounding technique that can pull focus away from your anxiety and bring you back into the present. This tool can be used anywhere and is easy to remember. Here’s what you do:
Find five things you can see
Find four things that you can touch
Listen for three things you can hear
Identify two things you can smell
Find one thing you can taste
Bringing awareness to all of your senses will ground you and distract you from your anxiety. As you focus on each of your senses, you should find relief from whatever symptoms you’re feeling.
2. Physical Activity
Exercise is the best medicine for an anxiety attack, as it is with most things. Getting your body moving in any way can help alleviate symptoms you are having.
Take a walk, preferably outside if the weather permits. Both getting fresh air and taking in green space have additional therapeutic benefits. Anything to get your blood flowing is a natural mood booster.
If you have more time, complete a yoga routine, go for a jog, or take your bike out. There is no limit to what type of exercise will help address your anxiety.
3. Deep Breathing Exercises
When you’re in the midst of an anxiety attack, being able to "just relax" isn’t the easiest. You may notice your breathing pattern change to more rapid and shallow. This might also be new news to you if you’ve never paid attention to your breathing.
Breathing techniques are created for times like this to restore a sense of calm. An easy one to start with is box breathing where you’ll fully exhale before starting the sequence. You inhale through your nose and count to four. You then hold while counting to four. After this, exhale through your mouth and count to four. Lastly, hold while counting to four. Once you complete this, start again.
There are different apps that offer guided breathing exercises or you can always search online for any method that works for you.
4. Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Another option for providing the body with some movement is through practicing progressive muscle relaxation. The goal is to focus on relaxing each group of muscles to shift your brain’s focus away from the anxiety.
You’re going to start by isolating each muscle group. You’ll tense them up, then relax them one by one. An easy way to start is with your toes, then your feet, your calves, and work your way up the rest of your body.
5. Practice Visualization
Visualization exercises work by shifting focus away from the negative and into a more positive place. Imagine what brings you peace and calm. Maybe that’s a beach on a warm day. Maybe it’s a garden full of flowers on a sunny day.
Through visualization, you can engage your mind in something more imaginative and give it an escape from the anxiety triggering thoughts. As you move through your peaceful space, the intensity of your symptoms should begin to decrease and you should feel some calm restored.
If you’re struggling with anxiety and need help getting it under control, contact us today to learn more about anxiety therapy.