Is there a step by step action plan to overcome anxiety and panic attacks?
Hello everybody,
I’m new here and I want to make clear that I don’t suffer from anxiety, but my girlfriend is…and I just want to do my best to help her out and do whatever I can do.
I’ve been reading a couple of books I found on amazon, but none of them mentioned if there’s any step by step process and since I’m analytical guy I was thinking if there’s any at all.
Let me explain what I mean…
If for example our end-goal here is to get our life back and enjoy life we did before anxiety struck (I’m just paraphrasing what I learned from my girlfriend) what would be Step 1 in this whole process?
Should we change our diet? Start changing our mindset? Start journaling and recording our thoughts?
In other words if your goal is to lose 30 pounds you should do it step by step. You can’t do that overnight, you must break this process into small actionable steps.
For me, step one was to find time for exercise.
Step 2: Start jogging
Step 3: Minimize carbs intake
etc. etc.
Step 21: Enjoy your new lean body and radiant health
You see what I mean? When you do that, it’s so much easier to achieve your goals.
So is there any actionable steps to eliminate anxiety and panic attacks?
Sorry for rambling on for so long, but this is something that I really want to find out so I can do whatever I can to help my girlfriend…
i have an anxiety disorder, and have done since i 15, i am now 21.
I went to see two psychologists, although i wasnt told anything different from what i knew myself. I study psychology and they were telling me things i already knew.
I also refused meds. I was given diazepam but i found it made me even more depressed.
From personal experience (I was anxious about everything, health, croweded rooms, lots of people), a change of mindset is the obvious answer.
Something you should look in to is Cognitive Behavioural Techniques. This is very helpful with anxiety and is a therapy which helps change your mindset of the things which are making you anxious.
It is not a quick fix though. It takes time and a lot of patience, but it does help so much. Especially depending on the seriousness of her anxiety.
Light exercise is a good way to get rid of some extra adrenaline built up from anxiety and panic. introducing heavy exercise can exhaust her even more and make it harded to deal with anxiety in the end.
She will need to learn some relaxation techniques too. People can hyperventilate without knowing, and this causes anxiety symptoms. Get her to pay attention to her breathing. If she is hyperventilating, she will be getting too much oxygen which isnt dangerous, its just causes the panic symptoms, to alleviate the symptoms tell her to cup her hand over her mouth and tell her to breathe deeply and slowly.
If your girlfriend has a reason or cause behind her anxiety, she will need to work through it before she can move on and have the strength to confront her anxiety.
i cant give you an action plan because everyone is different. Everyone responds differently to various therapies.
My main tips would be to let her get the bottom of her anxiety, ie what is causing it, if anything. 2. do some research in to Cognitive Behavioural techniques and discuss it with your girlfriend. She may need your support with this. 3. Get her to introduce some light exercise in to her lifestyle, even if just walking a little more.
some people just get scared of anxiety and panic symptoms themselves, which can stem from stress, but can become routine and form a disorder.
I always have a full list of anxiety symptoms so i can remind myself that is the reason im feeling the way i am… not because i have an illness or im having a heart attack, as it sometimes seems like!
here is a full list of the symptoms if this would benefit her at all… it might not, everyones different, but just incase.
http://www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-symptoms.shtml
all the best and i hope your girlfriend eventually finds peace.
Comments
Comment from Serder
Time February 11, 2010 at 2:09 pm
1: Bbuy rope
2: make a knot
3: hung yourself
References :
Comment from Ms Kitty
Time February 11, 2010 at 2:54 pm
Panic attacks are not based on logic and will not respond to logic…………. if her panic attacks are affecting her life to a significant degreee then she needs to be in therapy….. that is step one. Step two should be up to her and her psychologist.
References :
Comment from coleyfish1983
Time February 11, 2010 at 3:44 pm
a while ago i ordered this thing called "attacking anxiety and depression" maybe try searching for it online. but it is a step by step guide on how to change your mindset, it includes excercise being healthy and thinking healthy. it has workbooks that come with it, audio cds. it goes all out and i think its kind of expensive but it does work. it probably wouldve worked better if i finished the program, but fom the little i did do, i have only had 1 anxiety attack since. (= and if this doesnt help, make her see a doctor. anxiety and depression can really hold you back from doing things you love in life, and sometimes medication is the best option
References :
Comment from perfection
Time February 11, 2010 at 4:23 pm
There’s not a step by step plan. Sometimes it gets better by itself. Sometimes (like in my case) it turns into full blown panic disorder. Sometimes it responds really well to treatment and/or therapy.
There are loads of choices. If there is a reason for her panic attacks then therapy is a good start. If, like me, there is no apparent reason, therapy might be a waste of time tbh although cbt is always worth a bash as it gives coping strategies. Some people regain their lives due to cbt alone so it’s always worth trying.
Or meds such as SSRIs. I used lexapro and it was helpful but I came off it due to side effects. I always carry valium with me as a prop – I know that if I have an attack out somewhere, I can take one. If she trusts herself to only use it very occasionally then it’s worth considering, but if she has an addictive personality it’s a no no.
Supplements and herbs could be worth exploring. SJW, 5HTP, Rhodiola Rosea, B-vitamins, fish oils, magnesium…. worth researching.
And books are helpful. Dr Claire Weekes books are oldies but goodies 
References :
Comment from fox
Time February 11, 2010 at 4:53 pm
i have an anxiety disorder, and have done since i 15, i am now 21.
I went to see two psychologists, although i wasnt told anything different from what i knew myself. I study psychology and they were telling me things i already knew.
I also refused meds. I was given diazepam but i found it made me even more depressed.
From personal experience (I was anxious about everything, health, croweded rooms, lots of people), a change of mindset is the obvious answer.
Something you should look in to is Cognitive Behavioural Techniques. This is very helpful with anxiety and is a therapy which helps change your mindset of the things which are making you anxious.
It is not a quick fix though. It takes time and a lot of patience, but it does help so much. Especially depending on the seriousness of her anxiety.
Light exercise is a good way to get rid of some extra adrenaline built up from anxiety and panic. introducing heavy exercise can exhaust her even more and make it harded to deal with anxiety in the end.
She will need to learn some relaxation techniques too. People can hyperventilate without knowing, and this causes anxiety symptoms. Get her to pay attention to her breathing. If she is hyperventilating, she will be getting too much oxygen which isnt dangerous, its just causes the panic symptoms, to alleviate the symptoms tell her to cup her hand over her mouth and tell her to breathe deeply and slowly.
If your girlfriend has a reason or cause behind her anxiety, she will need to work through it before she can move on and have the strength to confront her anxiety.
i cant give you an action plan because everyone is different. Everyone responds differently to various therapies.
My main tips would be to let her get the bottom of her anxiety, ie what is causing it, if anything. 2. do some research in to Cognitive Behavioural techniques and discuss it with your girlfriend. She may need your support with this. 3. Get her to introduce some light exercise in to her lifestyle, even if just walking a little more.
some people just get scared of anxiety and panic symptoms themselves, which can stem from stress, but can become routine and form a disorder.
I always have a full list of anxiety symptoms so i can remind myself that is the reason im feeling the way i am… not because i have an illness or im having a heart attack, as it sometimes seems like!
here is a full list of the symptoms if this would benefit her at all… it might not, everyones different, but just incase.
http://www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-symptoms.shtml
all the best and i hope your girlfriend eventually finds peace.
References :
experience
Comment from love to love
Time February 11, 2010 at 1:19 pm
PRAYING actually works.
References :
God exists….a panic attatck is nothing for him to fix