If you are one of the millions of people globally who suffer from panic attacks, also called anxiety attacks it is serious illness. Panic attacks can debilitate you, keep you from doing things you want to do, affect your self-esteem and relationships, and generally make your life miserable. Fortunately, controlling them and even overcoming them is possible if you understand how and why they happen and follow come basic rules to control them. As always, check with your doctor to make sure that you have no physiological reason for your panic attacks and that you do not require medication to control them. In some serious instances, medication may be well advised so always follow the lead of your medical professional.
Overcome Panic Attacks effectively!
Our ancestors were hunters and gatherers. They needed to have a well-developed flight or fight response for their own protection. In the days of “mega fauna”, there were lots of huge creatures walking around like wooly mammoths and over sized bison that could take out a village if they took a notion to. With no emergency response units to call like the police or fire department, our ancestors had to develop a finely tuned internal warning system that was triggered by a perceived threat.
In some of us, that warning system is still on high alert even though we no longer need it as we once did. Oh sure, there are still things to be afraid of and even run from, but we do not encounter them with the frequency our ancestors did. If your internal warning system doesn’t know that yet, now is the time to adjust it. When you feel that familiar rising panic deep in your tummy, remind yourself that you are reacting to a perfectly normal situation. Take a deep breath, and start mentally making downward adjustments to your panic gauge.
Try to remember that you are not facing a mega beast with only a spear. It may sound crazy but that is exactly what your body thinks is happening. Lamaze breathing techniques, taught to expectant moms to control labor can do wonders for panic attacks. Because deep breathing can control your tendency to hyperventilate which occurs when you expel carbon dioxide too quickly? This is a common occurrence during a panic attack. Deep breathing, conversely, turns on our relaxation response instead of our flight or fight response. The parasympathetic nervous system controls this critical reaction and tells your mind to calm down and relax; there is no imminent threat from which to recoil.
Overcome Panic Attacks effectively!
It is also known that certain aromas induce relaxation and calm. One of the most effective is lavender. You can purchase lavender oil or inhalers at most health food stores to carry with you at all times. Both Bach Remedies and Soul Elixirs have specially formulated deep relaxation oils that are easy to use and carry with you. Bach’s Rescue Remedy is one of the best known and most effective very natural blends for just this purpose. You can also make your own by combining such essential oils as lavender and chamomile for inhaling or by using natural flower essences taken orally.
Take care to avoid stimulates such as caffeine and tobacco, smells like peppermint, eucalyptus, or situations that you know ahead of time will cause stress for you. Most of all, take mental authority over a panic situation by remembering to breathe deeply and slowly, acknowledge to yourself that you are not in any danger and realizing that it is you who is in final control, and not your ancestral reflexes.
Overcome Panic Attacks effectively!
