Many of us have been there with you. You start getting a feeling of dread, you may get some tunnel vision, your breathing becomes labored, you feel fear deep in your body and there it is; a full blown anxiety attack. What to do? Many suffer in silence, they run out of the space they are in and get to the closest bathroom, their car, their office, and shut the door and pray no one else comes in. Breathing is heavy and you can’t regulate your thoughts.
What to do?
I am going to teach you a very simple way to calm your mind and body during an anxiety attack. The key is disrupting the freak-out that your mind is going through by forcing it to think about specific things. Ready? Here goes!
- Name 5 things you can see – a photograph, a lamp, a pencil, a computer, a phone
- Name 4 things you can feel – a fidget toy, your sweaty hands, the cushion on your chair, your bracelet on your wrist
- Name 3 things you can hear – the water running in the sink, the buzz from the electricity, the traffic outside
- Name 2 things you can smell – your perfume, someone’s lunch in the next room
- Name 1 thing you can taste – a tart candy
These are only examples, but several of the things I mention are things I recommend for anyone with anxiety. First, a photograph of someone who makes you feel safe. That should be with you always and within reach at any time. Second, a fidget toy, a must for those with anxiety. Any kind will do as everyone has different sensory needs, but playing with a fidget toy, even unconsciously, can release anxious energy easily and most are portable. Your favorite perfume is another thing that you should have with you at all times. Have a small piece of fabric that you have sprayed with your perfume so you can smell it whenever you need grounding and centering. The olfactory system is an amazing thing and very powerful. Lastly a tart candy. It sounds odd but interestingly enough, a sour or tart candy can shock the brain into changing course. The surprise to the taste buds requires brain power to process and will take energy away from the panic attack you are fighting.
Always remember panic cannot hurt you, although it is uncomfortable and at times painful, it is still body sensations and brain dysfunction, not the threat of death – even though it may feel that way.
The key to this exercise working is practicing it when you are not experiencing panic so that the exercise becomes second nature. Do it once in the morning, once at night and once at some point in the middle of the day. Do the exercise at times when you are comfortable and not feeling dread. The more you practice it, the better you will get and the easier it will be to focus on it when panic is starting to set in. Also, don’t wait until you are in a full blown anxiety attack to start the exercise. Start it as soon as you notice that familiar feeling creeping up. Stopping the occurrence before it takes over is the goal, and with practice, you will be able to do it with ease.
