5 Things You Can Do Today To Deal With Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Take back your life and heal from the burdens of anxiety.

I was sitting at my desk and had just finished my second cup of coffee for the day. My daughter was a newborn, and this was my first week back to work. I decided to take a break and walk off the jitters I was feeling from the coffee.

I walked around the parking lot at work, as I and many other coworkers did every day. Feeling warm and well-walked, I decided it was time to go back. On the way to my desk, I felt like my vision was acting up.

I really need to start wearing my glasses more, I thought.

I got back to my desk and realized the computer screen was looking weird, too.

It must be the coffee. Let me grab some water, I thought.

I tried to drink from my water bottle and found that my mouth had gone dry, and it was hard to swallow. Just as I was trying to figure out what was going on, I felt a heart palpitation.

And then the panic set in.

I couldn’t breathe, could hardly see, and felt like I was about to die right then and there. I told my boss I needed to leave, but I could barely drive down the street. My knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel so hard, and I was basically hyperventilating.

My husband met me at a nearby gas station and took me to the hospital. That’s where I learned I had my first panic attack.

Since then, I have tried countless techniques and programs to heal and say goodbye to anxiety and panic attacks. Let’s take a look at how you can adopt those same practices to bring more peace into your life.

What is anxiety with panic attacks?

Anxiety itself can be a build up of symptoms over time until finally it manifests as an anxiety attack. You can have some physical symptoms of sweaty hands, racing heart, and tunnel vision. There may have been something on your mind or an event that triggered you, sometimes unknowingly.

A panic attack is like an anxiety attach times 10. They often come out of nowhere, and you believe you’re actually dying. The symptoms are very physical and are often confused with the symptoms of a heart attack.

Some extra (un)lucky humans, like myself, experience anxiety with panic attacks. That’s where it may start off as an anxiety attack but then grows into a full on panic attack where I feel like I’ve lost control completely.

How do I deal with anxiety and panic attacks?

It’s not a “one size fits all” solution to deal with anxiety, but here are some things I’ve done and experienced to help me lead a normal life. I went from having attacks every day to just a handful every few years by doing a combination of these things.

1. Medication

When I first started having attacks, I was very anti-medication. The attacks eventually became so debilitating that I felt I had no choice but to give medication a try.

So I did, and it was rocky at first. Finding the right medication and dosage is a trial and error basis. Everyone’s body tolerates anxiety medication differently, so be patient with your doctors when trying to find the one that works for you.

There are different kinds of medicines used to treat anxiety like SSRIs and SNRIs as well as medicines with off-label treatment like hydroxyzine and buspirone. The medicines normally take several weeks to build up in your system and see if they work. Again, patience and an open-mind to treatment is key with this solution.

2. The DARE Method

There’s a book called DARE: The New Way to End Anxiety and Stop Panic Attacks. I found it online and read it in a day. I felt like this was my next breakthrough after weaning off medication. I didn’t want to take a pill everyday and figured this would be a good alternative.

The book teaches you the DARE method which is Disarm, Accept/Acknowledge, Run into, Engage.

Disarm your alerted senses by reminding yourself it’s just a panic attack.

Acknowledge and accept that you’re experiencing anxious sensations.

Run into those sensations and tell your body you want more of it; more breathlessness, more racing heart, more fear of passing out, etc. (Here’s a secret, it never happens. When you allow the attack, it takes its power away and it goes away).

Engage in an activity like reading or the 54321 method, boxed breathing, talking to a friend, anything to engage your mind in something other than the sensations you were feeling.

This method may not be for everyone, but I definitely had success for several months using the DARE method.

3. Therapy

Sometimes you just have to talk to someone. Talk therapy has been amazing for my mental health. I use Dr. On Demand for my therapy sessions and absolutely love my therapist.

A therapist can help you understand the root of your anxious feelings and thoughts. You’ll learn anxiety is nothing more than emotions and figuring out where those emotions come from and how to handle them can be life-changing.

4. Meditation

Learning to be in the present moment is another life-changing concept. Realizing that there is only the present moment, you can’t change the past, and the future is out of your control is profound.

Meditation does wonders for your health. There are apps and programs that offer all different kinds of meditation. Your anxiety doesn’t stand a chance when you focus on your breath!

5. Yoga

Yoga is a form of meditation. Moving your body with your breath has great benefits, including lessening the burden of your anxiety and panic attacks.

Breathing through tough poses and learning to breathe before you move is a technique that you learn to carry even off the mat. Peloton’s yoga classes range from beginner to advanced, so there’s something for everyone.

Believe there is a light at the end of the tunnel

No matter how bad you feel and awful your anxiety or panic attacks get, know that it won’t last forever. With these techniques or others you is over on your own, you can live a normal peaceful life. Anxiety is part of you just as any other emotion.