My Ways of Help to Ease Panic Attacks

by Joe K.
(Wisconsin, US)

I have been dealing with both anxiety and panic attacks for years. I have sought out several ways to defeat panic attacks in the short term and long term. I have been completely successful in neither, but have learned ways to ease them by or defeat smaller attacks.

Some of the short term ways for my panic attacks was to always find a sink and keep putting water on my face and head. Another, drinking water during an attack, I noticed, has helped some of the time. Recently, I started having panic attacks while driving, and the best thing to get by was to pull over and talk to someone on the cellphone until I got through it all. Someone told me that they used to get panic attacks while driving, and they would have to get mad at something about or in the car and it would help them get through. It has something to do with releasing the bodies natural chemicals I guess. I have never tried this myself though.

Long term I have never been able to stop them from happening ever again. But, I go in for counseling and that seems to help a lot. Being more aware of everything seems to ease the overall feeling when I get them, and knowing that they're panic attacks and that I'll be okay. Finally, the other obvious long term help that I have sought is medication, and this seems to help a lot and can get rid of them fairly quickly when needed. Panic attacks are a great nuisance, but once you find your own way to help yourself, they seem easier to handle with passage of time.