Is this a good method for coping with anxiety/panic attacks?
i find that before i get anxious and feel like im going to havea panic attack i tend to ruminate a lot and just let my mind wander, so what i do when i get annxios is focus on something, but something concrete not vague ideas, so i stat counting backwads from 100 over and over until i feel less anxious. is there anything wrong with this approach?
There is nothing wrong with this approach if it helps you! Different things work for different people, and if letting your mind wander and counting back from 100 helps you decrease your anxiety then you should stick with it.
You might want to read up on other techniques for coping with panic attacks like deep breathing, cognitive restructuring, etc. Deep breathing involves taking a long, deep breath for 3 seconds, holding it briefly, then letting it out for 3 seconds. By stabilizing your breathing you get enough oxygen to your brain, slow your respiration and heart rate, and basically stop the physical signals that tell your brain to panic (the fast heart rate, rapid breathing, etc.)
Cognitive restructuring involves re-thinking the things that make you anxious. It is a method where you take apart your thoughts and say, "Okay, this makes me anxious, why? Is there anything anxiety-provoking or dangerous about the nature of this? Am I in any danger? Will this harm me? Then why am I afraid of it?" You learn how to "think your way around" your fear, and eventually stop the panic. This is best done with a therapist who specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). If you are having repeated panic attacks then I would VERY strongly suggest you look into therapists in your area who do CBT. It has been a life-saver for me, literally.
Good luck!
Comments
Comment from Angelofhonesty
Time January 4, 2010 at 12:49 pm
Whatever helps…… U can also TURN UP THE MUSIC….. figure out you to figure out what is causing the panic attacks….. Good Luck… Dont let your mind wander cause it can take you to places you dont want to go and it can definately make that panic attack 10x worse…. much luv pls take care of yourself…
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Comment from Kate
Time January 4, 2010 at 1:00 pm
There is nothing wrong with this approach if it helps you! Different things work for different people, and if letting your mind wander and counting back from 100 helps you decrease your anxiety then you should stick with it.
You might want to read up on other techniques for coping with panic attacks like deep breathing, cognitive restructuring, etc. Deep breathing involves taking a long, deep breath for 3 seconds, holding it briefly, then letting it out for 3 seconds. By stabilizing your breathing you get enough oxygen to your brain, slow your respiration and heart rate, and basically stop the physical signals that tell your brain to panic (the fast heart rate, rapid breathing, etc.)
Cognitive restructuring involves re-thinking the things that make you anxious. It is a method where you take apart your thoughts and say, "Okay, this makes me anxious, why? Is there anything anxiety-provoking or dangerous about the nature of this? Am I in any danger? Will this harm me? Then why am I afraid of it?" You learn how to "think your way around" your fear, and eventually stop the panic. This is best done with a therapist who specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). If you are having repeated panic attacks then I would VERY strongly suggest you look into therapists in your area who do CBT. It has been a life-saver for me, literally.
Good luck!
References :
Comment from Simon
Time January 4, 2010 at 1:21 pm
Tru, I know exactly what you are talking about because I too had suffered for years from panic attacks. Your method of focusing on something else will give temporary relief but it is definitely not a long term solution. If you do not deal with this with the proper tools, the intensity of the panic attacks can increase over time and you may find focusing on something else is not as effective as it once was. The good news is that you can cure panic attacks. A good method is to start a journal. Record what your thoughts were before and after the panic attack This is a good way to identify what may be helping the panic and anxiety to persist. Once you identify what the issues are, you can begin to work on them. There are many other tools available that are effective for curing panic attacks. The panic away system has some great information you might find useful.
References :
http://selfhelponlinereviews.com/review/curing-panic-attacks-review
Comment from peacelove
Time January 4, 2010 at 12:30 pm
Positive thinking is so important in life. Have hope and pray about your life. Know that God can help you live a better life if you want Him to help you. You can have a personal relationship with God by saying the prayer below. God is our Creator, all-knowing, all-powerful, eternal, holy, love. God loves us and sent us His Son, Jesus Christ, so we can go to heaven if we know and follow Him. Forever means without end — time on and on without death. Forever is what happens after we die. Either we go to heaven and be with God forever, or we go to hell which is very bad and painful forever. The good people who are saved believers in Jesus Christ go to heaven. The bad people go to hell. We need to know and follow God in this world to get to heaven in the next world. We follow God by loving and obeying Him and loving others for Him. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is our bridge to God. Jesus died on the cross to cancel our sins. We need to accept Jesus into our life as our Lord and Savior forever to receive God’s blessing and forgiveness plus go to heaven to be with God forever after we die. This is about being a born-again Christian. Faith in God is a gift from God. You can pray for faith in God. Just speak out and ask God for the faith to believe in Him and to follow Him. Some people find faith in God when they realize the beauty in the world is made by God. Evolution can’t explain the world’s natural beauty, for example, the parks in the world, animals, flowers, peacocks, sunsets, butterflies, rainbows, etc. After you have your faith on, you can pray a sinner’s prayer to be a born-again Christian. This prayer is very important and should be said with a sincere heart and faith in God. This is the prayer: "Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and that Jesus Christ is the sacrifice for our sins. I have done the following sins (state these out) and I pray to discontinue these sins. I pray to receive Jesus Christ into my life as my Lord and Savior forever. In Jesus’ name, amen." I’m Lutheran and I like the Baptist churches too. You could check out a Christian church and also see about their weekly Bible study group as a good way to learn about God’s will for your life. You can pray to God about your daily life and have a Christian church pray for you.
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