3 Immediate Ways to Disrupt a Panic Attack

The best way to get yourself out of a panic attack is to not have one…well, duh!  But seriously, if you can lower your baseline anxiety through exercise, therapy and/or meds, you’re far less likely to experience the debilitating anxiety a panic attack can produce.  But what if you’re having one RIGHT NOW?!?! 

 1.     Get yourself out of the environment (if you’re able) to lower the amount of overwhelming stimulus you’re experiencing.

 2.  Close your eyes and wrap your arms tightly around yourself to ground yourself in touch.

 3.  Think as you would if comforting a baby: start rocking, softly patting your chest over your heart, and hum a song through your nose.  Hear me out.  The rocking triggers a calming reflex regardless of what age you are.   When you tap your chest gently you’re actually activating your vagus nerve which calms down your sympathetic nervous system overdrive AKA your fight or flight.  When you hum through your nose, in only 3 minutes, you elevate your nitric oxide such that you dilate your arterioles and oxygenate your system which is in DIRECT opposition to your fight or flight that’s out of control right now.  Doing these things can help decrease the intensity and duration of the panic attack and get you back in control of your anxiety. 

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