How Do You Stop A Panic Attack? Controlled Abdominal Breathing
One of the most common symptoms that someone having a panic attack will experience is difficult and constricted breathing. Sometimes the breath will feel totally constricted with the sufferer is unable to draw breath. And other times the breathing will become rapid to the point of hyperventilation. When you consider this, it seems appropriate that most methods of dealing with panic attacks incorporate some form of breathing technique.
The most commonly used breathing technique to help in coping with an anxiety attack is controlled abdominal deep breathing. Part of the typical stress response in people and especially so in the case an anxiety attack or a panic attack is that their breathing starts to become extremely shallow. This rapid panting style of breathing is part of the body’s natural flight flight response. And while it may be natural, it is also very distressing to someone experiencing it during a panic attack.
What further compounds this problem and what can ultimately lead to a full on panic attack response is that the person having the breathing difficulty begin to focus on their inability to take a deep breath.
Once our nervous system becomes aware of the breathing problem it gives us feedback that there is a problem and we need to do something about it. Unfortunately for the anxiety and panic attack sufferer they cannot do anything about it. In becoming aware of the problem and knowing they can’t correct it they simply create more anxiety and panic increasing the intensity of their panic attack.
This is the vicious cycle of a panic attack.
The practice of deep controlled abdominal breathing will provide options the panic attack sufferer can use at the time of their attack. But a regular training program of controlled abdominal breathing must be undertaken if the ability to apply it during the extreme nervous system responses of a panic attack is desired.
This is just like training regularly for some sporting competition. The more you practice before the actual event the more automatic the desired responses will be come game time.
Ideally if you suffer from panic attacks you will want to practise abdominal breathing during times when your stress levels and anxiety levels are almost non-existent. By practising in these less stressful times the body is given a chance to familiarise itself with this different breathing method. And once the body becomes familiar with this particular style of breathing it should then be practised during times of moderate anxiety and stress.
As you can see we are taking the breathing technique we have learned in a neutral environment and slowly increasing our ability to use it in the field. In a very short time with regular practice you’ll have access to this breathing technique and be able to use it to help you handle your panic attacks.
While abdominal breathing can be of great benefit during a panic attack, the added bonus is that by regularly practising deep abdominal breathing the nervous system has a chance to relax to some degree helping it to become less likely to respond to stress and anxiety in the same way.
This way of breathing is very natural and easy. Like any form of exercise please make sure to start slowly and gradually allowing yourself enough time to get familiar with the technique before increasing the length of time of your abdominal breathing sessions.
You may not know this, but this way of breathing is the way our body is designed to breath. It is natural and normal. If you look at how toddlers breath you will see that they are belly breathers. As we get older for one reason or another we move into a more chesty way of breathing.
So rather than think of this as learning something new we are simply re-familiarizing ourselves with something we already know how to do.
