Via Wikihow:Panic
Living in constant fear and suffering from panic attacks? Think your time is up? Read this and you may be able to avoid these thoughts in the future.
1. Understand that panic attacks are a mind state. A panic attack can be a very frightening and uncomfortable experience, but it is absolutely not dangerous. Panic attacks are a state of mind, not an illness. Only in some cases is a panic attack a symptom of another illness.
2. Realize that you are not alone. Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder that many other people share.
3. Understand what panic is. Panic is just excess adrenaline that runs through your body when it's confronted with a possible life-threatening situation also can be caused by something that triggered an event from your past that placed you in a threatening situation. Panic attacks are physiological. Feelings of panic can be very scary, but the feelings you have are your body telling you to fight or run away from the potential danger. They are mechanisms that evolved to protect you; but now, in this moment, there is no real danger. Close your eyes for a second, take a deep breath and rationalize your thoughts.
4. The brain's has tremendous capacity to heal and generate its own feelings of well-being. So avoid drugs for well being. If you have been relying on feeling better using some substance that is harming your health, then control your intake - once you push yourself past that point which you felt you could not cross - you brain will reward you with feelings of well being. Enhance this feeling with exercise. Do not underestimate your brain's capacity to generate feelings of well-being on its own. Its over all strength is as high as the strength of your outer skull. The brain rewards positive achievement positively. Overcome a weakness, overcome a fear and the brain will reward you positively.
6. Do not try to avoid those situations where panic happens. Avoidance will only 'reinforce' your panic and the more you avoid, the more panic the avoided situation will generate. When attacks do happen, don't try to fight the feelings. Instead, let the feelings of panic come and wash over you, and they will pass soon if you let them. Focus on your breathing during challenging circumstances.
7. Try as much as possible to decrease the speed of your breathing by seeking to relax. This should also help to ensure the right amount of oxygen gets to your brain. As a result this will help bring the anxiety or panic attack to a close more quickly.
8. Do endeavor to make an effort to include a daily exercise routine into your life. As well as helping with your overall health, you will detect that you can grapple with panic attacks much better.
9. Have a serious look at your overall lifestyle. In addition to regular exercise, you need to study your diet: Are you eating too many processed foods (junk food)? Does your diet include the required amount of vegetables and fiber?
10. Get some rest. The lion's share of us need a good 7-8 hours of sleep to feel rested. This will equip us so much better for the stresses of daily life.
