How Do You Calm An Anxiety Attack Fast? 5 Proven Tips To Calm Yourself

Last updated on April 4th, 2023 at 12:18 am

An anxiety attack is an intense experience characterized by a rush of fear and nervousness. This feeling can be so overwhelming that it can prevent you from doing normal activities. An attack can last anywhere from minutes to hours, and during it, you may feel like you can’t breathe, have a racing heart, or feel like you’re going to faint. They are often accompanied by physical symptoms such as chest pain, rapid heart rate, and sweating. Most people experience an anxiety attack once or twice in their lives, but for some people, it can be a weekly or daily occurrence. Knowing how do you calm an anxiety attack fast can save you from a lot of unnecessary suffering.

How To Calm An Anxiety Attack Fast

If you are suffering from anxiety, then you know that it can be a very debilitating condition. It can make you feel nervous, scared, and out of control. There are many things that you can do to help calm yourself down, but here are the 5 best methods for how to calm an anxiety attack fast.

#1. Focus On Breathing

Breathing is critical for both physical and mental health. Proper breathing helps to improve concentration, and clarity of thought, and can even be used as a form of relaxation. For people with anxiety, proper breathing can help to manage symptoms such as stress, panic attacks, and tension headaches.

When trying to calm an anxiety attack, it is important to focus on taking deep breaths and slowing down your heart rate. Focus on breathing in and out slowly and deeply for about 5-10 minutes. It may seem simple, but it will definitely help calm your mind. Practicing deep breathing regularly can help to reduce the frequency and severity of anxiety attacks.

If you find yourself breathing fast while having a panic attack, trying a breathing exercise can help to ease your symptoms. Try this: Breath in for four seconds, hold for six seconds, breathe out for four seconds, and hold for eight seconds. Repeat this exercise 10 times.

#2. Prepare A Script

Keeping a script prepared that tells you what to do and how to feel during an anxiety attack. This script can be used for both physical and psychological symptoms. Keeping a script prepared can help you not feel so panicked during an anxiety attack, and to know what actions you need to take in order to calm yourself. It is important that people have this information on hand at all times, as anxiety attacks can happen anywhere.

#3. Face Your Fear

Anxiety attacks are often brought on by fear. Rather than running from your fear, it is best to try to confront it. Try to realize that the fear is most likely unwarranted and that nothing bad is going to happen. Keep doing things to attempt to ride out the attack. You may be pleasantly surprised when the anxiety suddenly begins to pass. This technique is often easier if you have a trusted person around during the attack.

#4. Practice Muscle Relaxation

Muscle relaxation exercises are a popular way to treat anxiety and stress. Studies have shown that these exercises can help increase feelings of calmness and reduce anxiety symptoms. The exercises are best for in-between attacks when you feel the anxiety rising and may not be able to wait until the next time.

Here are four popular muscle relaxation techniques for dealing with an anxiety attack:

1. Progressive muscle relaxation: This technique involves tensing and then releasing all the muscles in your body one at a time. You can do this on your own or with the help of a therapist.

2. Mantra meditation: Mantra meditation is a form of mindfulness that uses sound to focus the mind. The practice can be done with any mantra, or word, that is meaningful to the practitioner. There are many different types of mantra meditation and each has its own benefits. Mantra meditation has been shown to improve mental focus, concentration, and relaxation.

3. Autogenic training: This is a relaxation technique where you imagine your muscles relaxing on their own. The basic idea is that by focusing on your own thoughts and feelings, you can control your body’s response, which can lead to improved physical health. Autogenic training has been used for centuries to treat conditions like anxiety and depression, but it has recently become popular as a way to improve overall well-being.

4. Stretching: There is a growing consensus among mental health professionals that muscle stretching can be an effective treatment for anxiety. Studies have found that people with a generalized anxiety disorder who regularly performed yoga and stretching exercises showed significant reductions in symptoms, compared to those who did not engage in these activities. In addition, they found that muscular flexibility was associated with lower levels of anxiety and stress.

#5. Distraction techniques

There are a variety of ways to distract yourself from anxiety-inducing thoughts and feelings. Some people find that reading, listening to music, taking a walk, or doing puzzles can help them relax. Other people find that working on a hobby or spending time with friends helps to take their minds off of their worries. The most important thing is to find something that works for you and that you enjoy.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are many ways to calm an anxiety attack fast. For some, breathing exercises and visualization work. Others find that distracting themselves with an activity or listening to calming music helps. For others, mental distraction can be the most powerful method of calming an anxiety attack.

Finally, some people find that self-talk and positive affirmations help to soothe them during an attack. The best way to find out what works is to try different things until you find one that helps.

No matter what works for you, it is important to have a plan in place so you can quickly calm yourself down.

Don’t forget, you can also always enlist the help of a trained therapist from BetterHelp.

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