I’ve suffered panic attacks from a very young age. Out of the blue, in the middle of the night and frequently.
Initially, I had no idea it was panic attacks which turned into a vicious cycle as I would panic about the symptoms of the panic attacks. Symptoms including hot flushes, palpitations, racing heart, feeling suffocated.
I was offered propranolol when I was 16 but chose not to go down that route. Once I knew what they were, I learnt to cope using my mind. Mindfulness worked for decreasing the frequency of attacks.
During an attack, simply acknowledging it is a panic attack and telling myself that no physical harm will come to me really works to slow them down and stop them quicker.
Long, deep breaths are good too. When we’re anxious we tend to take more shallow breaths which causes an imbalance of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the blood that can cause physical sensations as a result of our blood not being oxygenated enough, this then leads leads to a stress response which in turn can cause anxiety/panic attacks. Long, deep breaths allow blood oxygen levels to regulate.
I’m 29 now and still have the odd panic attack. I notice them more if my lifestyle choices aren’t particular great eg. drinking more alcohol than usual or binge eating before due on so definitely agree with PP that lifestyle changes can make a difference. Cut down on alcohol, don’t smoke, eat healthy, reduce caffeine intake etc. All of which are maladaptive coping mechanisms so I realise it’s easier said than done.
This is stuff that has been effective for me anyway, for some, medication may be a better option. I don’t intend to be patronising, just going off my own experience. As part of my job, I administer antidepressants and beta blockers for service users with anxiety and have observed the positive impact that medication can have too.