While most people have heard about panic attacks, those who’ve never had one have trouble understanding how frightening experience it is. To have panic attacks isn’t harmful in itself, but experiencing this sort of anxiety can increase the risk of: Heart disease, cancer, stomach ailments, obesity, respiratory problems, weakening your immune system, shrinkage of a particular area of your brain, diminished ability to concentrate, memory problems, irritable, damages social relationships.
Anxiety Attack
Therefore, learning how to control and eliminate anxiety attacks is a must. An important step to get rid of panic attacks is to recognize how and when you overbreathe. Try to catch yourself when you begin to breathe more quickly. You should also ask yourself these questions: Do I breathe to rapidly? Do I breathe deeply? Do I yawn over others (excessive yawning might be a indication of hyperventilation)? If you begin overbreathing, it is important not to overreact to your hyperventilation.
When you feel the symptoms of hyperventilation remind yourself that this may be uncomfortable and unpleasant, but it is not dangerous. If you do the slow-breathing exercise described below when you that you begin to overbreathe, the symptoms should subside within a minute or 2.
What to do?
Stop what you’re doing and begin focusing on your breathing. 2. Start breathing in and out through your nose. Do it gradually, in a 6 minute cycle. Breath in for three seconds and out for three seconds. While you’re performing the 6 minute breathing cycle repeat the word”relax” to yourself each time you breathe out. It’s important to breathe with your diaphragm, not your chest.
Continue with the slow-breathing exercise before the signs of hyperventilation have gone. When you start to feel the symptoms of hyperventilation, try to breathe into a paper bag. Overbreathing will really lower the carbon dioxide in your blood which makes you feel worse. Breathing into a paper bag builds up the carbon dioxide in your bloodstream, so you need to immediately begin feeling better. By avoiding places or situations you think might trigger a panic attack may cause another anxiety disorder called agoraphobia.
Agoraphobia is characterized by fear for scenarios where the victim perceives an environment as dangerous or uncomfortable. People with agoraphobia often confine themselves to”safe zones”. This makes them housebound, and sometimes limited to a specific room in their home.
